Free His Diamond Bride by Lucy Gordon Page A

presents to be opened, laughter to be shared. Afterwards, Dee vaguely recalled these things, but the details blurred in the shock of what came afterwards. Neither she, her parents, nor Mark, would ever quite recover from that shock.
    She had slipped into the hall, meaning to fetch somethingfrom upstairs, when she noticed an envelope lying on the mat. With a sense of foreboding, she saw that the handwriting was Sylvia’s.
    She tore it open, telling herself that her worst fears were realised, but even her worst fears hadn’t prepared her for what she found.
    I’m sorry to do this now, but I shan’t be there this evening. I’ve gone away for a long time, maybe for good. I’m in love and I have to be with Phil, no matter what else it means.
    A friend has delivered this, so don’t look for me outside the door. I’m already far away.
    Say sorry to Mark for me. I didn’t mean to do it this way. Try to make him understand and forgive me. He doesn’t love me really, and he’ll get over it.
    Love, Sylvia
    She read it again and again, trying to understand that it was real and not some wicked joke. Then life returned to her limbs and she tore open the front door, running out in a frantic search for whoever might have thrust this through the letterbox. But the street was empty in both directions.
    Her head spinning, she stumbled back to the house and leaned against the wall, shaking. Mark came out and found her like that.
    â€˜You’re being a long time. Everyone’s asking what—Dee, what is it?’
    â€˜Sylvia,’ she said hoarsely.
    He took the note from her hand and read it.
    â€˜Well,’ he said heartily, ‘so that’s that.’
    But she wasn’t fooled. She’d glanced up just in time to see his expression in the split second before the mask came down, and she’d never seen such devastation in any man’s face. He actually seemed to wither, mouth growing pinched, eyesclosing as if to shut out intolerable pain. The next moment he opened them again and smiled. But the smile only touched his mouth. His eyes were blank.
    â€˜She just vanished without a goodbye,’ he whispered.
    â€˜Mark, I’m so sorry,’ she whispered.
    He raised his head. His face was set. ‘Sorry? What for? Sylvia has the right to do as she pleases. We weren’t engaged or anything like that.’
    â€˜But to do it like this—’
    â€˜Not very polite, but if she wants to be with him—’ His voice shook and for a moment he shuddered uncontrollably.
    â€˜Dee, are you coming back in?’ It was her mother’s voice, approaching.
    Swiftly, Mark put the letter into his pocket.
    â€˜Say nothing until the party’s over,’ he said.
    He was right. She wilted at the thought of telling her parents about this. Their eyes met and they each took a deep breath before heading back into the house.
    Someone had brought a gramophone and a collection of dance records, which mercifully made talk impossible for some time. But there was no hiding the way people looked at Mark, or the almost tangible curiosity about Sylvia’s absence.
    And how they would laugh, she thought angrily. Mark’s popularity had always contained a touch of jealousy, even spite. Every girl who’d yearned for him, every young man who’d envied him, would relish seeing him undermined now.
    A fierce desire to protect him made her grasp his hand, saying, ‘Dance with me, Mark. It’s my birthday, and I get to choose.’
    He seized her with what might have been eagerness, but she sensed mainly relief that with her he could briefly drop the bright mask.
    I wonder where Sylvia’s got to. Do you think Mark knows? The words floated indistinctly through the crowd. Impossible to say who’d uttered them, and nor did it matter.
    â€˜Ignore that,’ she told him. ‘The fact is, you knew Sylvia wasn’t going to be here, and you’re