Playlist for a Broken Heart (21 page)

While the girls were busy eyeing up the boy talent in the crowds, I popped into the shop to collect our flyers. Mum and Dad had been there since early morning and looked handsome in their
Regency dress, Mum in peacock blue and Dad in dress coat and cravat.

‘You both look great,’ I said. ‘Romantic.’

They grinned back at me. ‘Just get those customers coming this way,’ said Dad.

‘Hand the flyers out to everyone,’ said Mum as she passed the heavy bag of leaflets.

‘She means everyone not already in costume,’ Dad added.

‘Don’t worry, we will,’ I assured her.
The sooner we get rid of this weight, the better
, I thought as I went out to join the others. I divided up the leaflets for
them, then we headed over to the Pump Room where the parade was to start.

There were hundreds of people there: old, young, men on penny-farthing bicycles, boys dressed as soldiers in red regimental uniforms, others in long coats and top hats. The women in empire-line
dresses with short jackets on top, bonnets, feathers and hats, some with pretty parasols, some with fans, most with their hair up with ringlets at the side. The sun was shining, it was an amazing
spectacle and everyone seemed in the best of moods as they noted and commented on each other’s choice of dress.

‘I feel like I’m on a film set,’ said Clover as she looked around.

‘I feel like we’ve gone back in time,’ I said.

‘Sexy,’ said Allegra as we watched another boy walk past. With shoulder-length black hair, dress coat and the high leather-boots typical of the period, he looked really good.

‘So much more romantic than modern dress. I think we should dress this way all the time,’ said Clover.

‘For puke’s sake,’ said Tasmin. ‘No way.’

We weren’t the only ones who had noticed the boy. As he made his way through the square he was frequently stopped and asked to pose for photographs with various women and girls. Allegra
and I had both brought our cameras so we spent the next hour partly doing our job and handing out leaflets, which were disappearing fast, and partly posing for photos with each other or people from
the crowd, or when we saw a good backdrop like one of the Georgian terraces or cobbled streets.

As we walked up to the Royal Crescent, we saw lots of people we knew from school – some boys watching the parade but not participating, a few dressed up with family or friends, loads of
girls who dressed up like us. I spotted Niall in the crowd ahead of us. He looked so handsome, dressed similarly to the boy we’d seen earlier in the square, in calf-length brown velvet coat
and high leather knee-boots. On his arm was Molly, who looked lovely in an apple-green dress and bonnet. She was looking up at him and he was smiling at something she’d said. I watched as a
group of three girls, also in costume, went over to join them and they took turns having their photos taken.

I felt a stab of jealousy as I watched him put his arm around Molly’s shoulder for one of the shots. They made a perfect-looking couple. He hadn’t noticed me so, feeling like a sad
stalker, I made myself turn away and go back to the girls, who had targeted a group of tourists and were handing out the last of the leaflets and giving directions to the shop. I could see that Mum
and Dad were going to be busy.

‘Do you think we should go and get more leaflets?’ I asked after I’d handed out the last one to a little Japanese lady.

‘Not yet,’ said Tasmin. ‘Let’s go and have some fun.’

Clover nodded. ‘I’ve sent so many people down to the shop that they’ll be maxed out, so yeah, I’m with Tasmin – let’s go and have some fun.’

I glanced ahead to see if I could still see Niall but he’d disappeared into the crowd.
I have to let it go
, I told myself. I didn’t want seeing Niall with Molly to ruin the
day as it did hurt that it wasn’t me he was with. Although Tasmin had told me that I was naive when it came to boys, there was one thing I did know and that was that if a boy was interested,
he wouldn’t go swan-ning off with someone else on his arm.

I looked around me. The sun was still shining and Bath, with its honey-coloured stone, had never looked more picturesque. As I looked over at Clover and Tasmin, chatting away and doing crazy
faces for the camera, I reminded myself how things had changed since I’d first arrived. I had a lot to be happy about. To my right was Allegra, my old friend, and to my left, my new friends,
Tasmin and Clover. All my worry about the distance between Allegra and I going to different schools hadn’t changed things between us one jot. Within minutes of seeing each other, we were
right back where we always were. Boys.
Who needs them?
I told myself as I got my camera out to take more photos.

In the evening, we took seats at our table for the banquet in the Guild Hall. The dinner and dance were to take place in a vast tall room decorated in cream and pale green
where enormous chandeliers sparkled down from the ceiling. There were long tables set with tablecloths and flowers, and a stage at the far end where a group of musicians were playing violins. I
recognised loads of faces we’d seen earlier on the parade but no sign of Niall.

At our table were Mum and Dad, Aunt Karen and Uncle Mike, Jake, Joe and Simon, all dressed in period costume, though the boys didn’t look too happy about it, and Allegra, Clover, Tasmin
and I. We’d had the most brilliant day just walking about the city watching what was going on and I’d taken some great photos. My favourites were of Tasmin dressed in her costume
tucking into a McDonald’s and smearing ketchup up her cheek, and another of FB (who was in costume) and Allegra doing their version of Regency dance in the middle of Milsom Street. FB had
come to help us distribute leaflets but I suspect he had an ulterior motive, which was to spend more time with Allegra.

Mum and Dad were in a great mood, having had a successful day at the shop.

‘If every day is like this, I think we have ourselves a business,’ said Dad, his face beaming. ‘We didn’t stop at all from first thing this morning.’

‘No reason why it shouldn’t be,’ said Uncle Mike. ‘Tourists arrive daily by the train and coach load and you’re well placed to attract them in.’

‘And we have so many ideas for developing things,’ said Mum. ‘Once we get the feel of it, we can expand into more merchandise and maybe even a café area so people can
have a drink while they wait for their photos.’

I saw her look over at Dad and smile at him. I felt a lurch of happiness. Everything was going to be OK. The sadness that we’d felt when we left London now seemed like ancient history. As
soon as I thought that, I remembered Niall’s words about Sarah. Ancient history. I wondered where he was, who with and what he was doing.
Mustn’t think about him
, I told
myself.
He’s clearly not interested and I’m not going to let a boy ruin the day
.

After a fabulous dinner of salmon, new potatoes and asparagus followed by strawberry mousse and shortcake, more musicians joined the others on the stage and people began to line the hall ready
to dance. When the music started, it seemed as if they all knew the steps from time gone by. I was transfixed as I watched them gracefully move around the room and it felt like we really had gone
back a couple of centuries.

‘I bet Jane Austen even came and danced here,’ said Allegra, picking up on my thoughts. ‘All we need now is a couple of Darcys.’

‘Just one would do,’ I said. ‘I’ve had enough of complications.’

Mum, Dad, Aunt Karen and Uncle Mike got up to dance and, after watching them for a while, Tasmin leant over.

‘They’ve set up a hall downstairs for some local bands to play. Want to go?’ she asked.

‘In a while,’ I said. I already knew that there would be music downstairs because FB had texted Allegra to say that his band would be playing at nine o’clock and that we must
be there. In the meantime, I was enjoying watching the dancing so much I didn’t want to miss a minute of it. I did scan the room again to see if there was any sign of Niall amongst the diners
and dancers but there was none. I felt disappointed that I hadn’t heard from him and he hadn’t even come looking for me to say hi. Curiously, I wasn’t bothered that Alex
hadn’t been in touch and wasn’t even sure that he’d come down from London as Allegra had said.

Allegra and Clover went with Tasmin so, when it got close to nine o’clock, I went downstairs to find them.

The hall on the ground floor couldn’t have been more in contrast to upstairs. It was disco city, full of teenagers, and up on the stage FB and his band were belting it out.

I looked for my friends and saw them on the dance floor, all with their long skirts tucked in their knickers
à la
Tasmin’s version of Austen style. Clover and Allegra were
still wearing their bonnets, as were a number of girls. It was a funny sight to see all the girls in long dresses boogieing away, and one boy in the corner in his dress coat and boots was doing a
moon walk much to the amusement of his mates.

Allegra saw me and waved so I went over to join them. We danced through a few numbers and I noticed Alex to my right with his arms around a petite blonde girl. So he had come down.
Well, he
didn’t waste any time
, I thought.
So much for his email saying how much he wanted to see me next time he’s here. He didn’t even text me to let me know he
was
here
. As I watched him, I felt relieved that I hadn’t got too involved and then had my heart broken when I realised, as I inevitably would, that I was just another name on his list
of conquests.

FB’s band finished their set and FB took the mike. He looked over the audience and when he spotted me, he nodded. ‘And now we’re going to slow the pace down a little and to do
so, we have a guest performer. Let’s hear it for Niall Peterson.’

Clover, Tasmin, Allegra and I all glanced at each other in surprise.

‘Niall?’ said Tasmin. ‘I didn’t know he sang.’

‘Me neither,’ I said.

‘Our mystery boy has hidden talents,’ said Clover.

‘Maybe,’ said Tasmin. ‘We haven’t heard him sing yet.’

Niall came out centre stage. He was still dressed in the velvet coat and high knee-breeches. He looked slightly nervous as he scanned the audience, as though looking for someone. I looked around
too, expecting to see Molly, and there she was on the opposite side of the room. My heart sank when I saw Niall give her a nod of acknowledgement. He was going to sing to her. But no, he was still
scanning the audience. A moment later, he saw me. He made himself stand taller, took a deep breath and smiled. ‘OK, this next song is for a very special person here tonight.’ He glanced
behind at FB and gave him a nod and FB began to play his guitar. After a few chords, Niall began to sing, looking straight at me while he sang the lyrics. He had a great voice, mellow with a lovely
rich tone.

Tasmin nudged me. ‘He’s singing to you. Way to go Niall,’ she whispered.

He can’t be
, I thought as I looked for Molly again, and there she was listening along with everyone else. ‘He can’t be,’ I said. ‘He’s been hanging
out with Molly.’

‘That’s as may be,’ said Tasmin, ‘but he’s singing to you.’

I looked back at the stage where Niall was still watching me and directing all the lyrics to me.

As Niall continued to look at me, I surrendered myself to the moment. I knew I was blushing and that half the audience was looking to see who Niall was singing to. It
didn’t matter. I didn’t care. It felt amazing. I felt connected by an invisible thread to Niall and for the rest of his song, it felt like we were alone in the hall.

‘This
is
for you,’ whispered Allegra.

I didn’t take my eyes away from Niall. ‘I know,’ I said. It was the most romantic moment of my life.
This song could have been for Sarah if things had worked out
differently,
I thought.
But fate led me to find the CD that day in the charity shop, then inspired my search for the boy who had made it, and then to this moment here. And there he is, my
mystery boy no more, smiling down at me. Your loss, Sarah, wherever you are
. FB played a few more chords, Niall took a bow and the audience cheered.

‘That was
so
cool,’ said Clover as we watched Niall leave the stage. Then FB’s band went into another number.

‘Go and talk to him,’ said Allegra and she pushed me in the direction of the stage.

‘I . . .’ I didn’t need to move because I saw Niall come out into the crowd and look for me. I went straight over to him. ‘Thank you, that was—’

I couldn’t get any more words out because Niall grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door.

‘Where are we going? I asked.

‘Somewhere private. Come on,’ he replied.

I felt my stomach flip and didn’t resist as he led me out of the hall, across the reception area, through the door, then we leapt down the stone steps to the street.

‘This way,’ said Niall and we ran round the corner towards Pulteney Bridge then along the pavement towards Parade Gardens. We took the steps down to the garden two at a time again,
crossed the grass and Niall stopped by a tree. We stood for a few moments, panting, laughing and catching our breath.

Niall gestured with his hands at the hills to the right of the city, the river roaring behind us, the Abbey to our left. In the clear night sky was a perfect crescent moon.

‘You get a good view from down here,’ he said.