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The peach white vellum envelope sat heavily in Taggie's hands. She could feel the importance of its contents seeping through the expensive material as she turned it in her hands and carefully peeled it open. A piece of thick cotton paper embossed with rose gold foil slipped out, a wedding invitation.
Taggie raised an eyebrow, no one she knew was getting married let alone were any engaged. She focused her eyes and carefully traced each letter revealing the details as she went;
"You are cordially invited to the wedding of
Miss Grace Abbey & Mr Michael Prescott
16th December 1986, St John Baptist Church, Cirencester"
Her eyes widened, Grace? Taggie hadn't spoken to her in almost two years, she hadn't seen her since she left her school in Fulham, and now she was getting married? She fell into the chair at the head of her dining table and let the invitation fall out of her hands. How had she not known the older girl she had admired so much was getting married? Had she really isolated herself that far from her old life, from her friends?
Taggie ran her hands through her hair before picking the envelope up and pulling out the small RSVP card. She reached across the table and grabbed one of the many lose pens lying atop of Venturer paperwork. With careful strokes, Taggie filled out her information on the card, pausing slightly before ticking 'yes'.
She was going to the wedding. She was going to see an old friend once again. What on earth was she going to wear?
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Rupert was a single second away from tearing the invitation in two. Seeing the name 'Michael Prescott' written down in the ugly cursive design was enough to flood him with hatred. Honestly, the man did nothing wrong to Rupert. Back in their days of competing against each other, Rupert always won yet somehow Michael would always have something snarky to say and God did the man have terrible taste in horses.
Begrudgingly, Rupert pulled out the RSVP card and accepted. It might do him some good to get out of Penscombe for a few days, away from peering out of his bedroom window to the house across the way, away from hoping to catch a glimpse of auburn hair during Venturer meetings and away from the overwhelming guilt consuming his waking days.
Yeah, a few days away would be good…he was sure of it.
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Three weeks after Taggie sent off her RSVP she made her way to Cirencester, her father had the car so she had the joy of enduring an hour long bus ride. A bus ride that not only ended up being late to the bus stop so Taggie had to stand in the cold for an extra twenty five minutes holding onto her suitcase with freezing fingers but a bus ride that had not one, but two screaming children determined to out match each other with how loud they could be. She was thankful the hotel was just across the road from her stop, The Kings Head a four star mid 14th century building two minutes away from the church.
All Taggie wanted to do was get into her bed and nap for at least an hour before meeting with Grace again for the first time in four years. But, of course, nothing was ever simple in Taggie's life.
"I'm sorry, did you just say room for two?"
The receptionist smiled at Taggie, "Yes, you are Miss O'Hara correct?"
Taggie nodded slowly as the receptionist continued, "Then yes, Miss Abbey has yourself and your partner booked into our suite room." She smiled at Taggie as if repeating the information suddenly made sense.
"I understand, i-it's just the um partner aspect I don't understand, I-I didn't come here with anyone." She could feel her face heating as she explained to this poor woman who was just doing her job that she was in fact single, alone, no partner in sight.
Taggie wastched as the receptionist looked down at her checking book, "It says here the room is booked for one Miss Agatha O'Hara, that's you, and one Mr Rupert Campbell-Black."
Her eyes widened, Rupert?, he was coming to the wedding? She was meant to be sharing a room with him? As she stood there, mind rushing with overwhelming thoughts, slow footsteps echoed from behind.
"Sharing a room with you angel? I must have done something good to deserve this."
She spun around at the sound of his voice, his seductive, silky smooth voice that always seemed to turn her all gooey inside.
"Rupert." She exhaled.
He smiled at her, pulling his cashmere checkered scarf off of his neck, "Hi Tag."
The pair stared at each other for a few moments, before Taggie remembered just how mad she was at him. Turning back to the receptionist, "Is there any chance, any chance at all that there is another room free," she leaned forward, voice dropping to a whisper, "please, I am begging you."
The receptionist noticed the desperation in Taggie's voice and smiled sadly at the girl, "I'm sorry but due to the size of the wedding every room is booked and we have no spare cots to lend."
Taggie sighed and her head dropped, "Perfect." She reluctantly grabbed one of the room keys, "Thank you…"
She grabbed her suitcase and headed towards the stairs hearing Rupert behind her grab his own key and mutter something to the receptionist.
"Angel, let me carry that for you."
She felt his fingers caress hers and snatched her hand away, "It's fine."
Taggie continued making her way to her- their, room. After unlocking the door and not even glancing around the luxury room, she made her way directly towards the bed and threw herself on top. Landing face first into the multiple goose down pillows, hair fanning around her head in a mess of waves. She didn't even have enough energy to take off her shoes.
Rupert watched, leaning against the open door frame, as Taggie marched towards the bed and sprawled out in the middle of the super king bed, a smile spread across his face as he chuckled lightly. Their relationship was tense. Well, tense was an understatement. After their first kiss, many moons ago, the air between them shifted, they kept fighting, then making up, then fighting again and then making up in different ways. But after months of exhausting each other, it ended, whatever it was.
And now, here they both were, away from their homes expected to share a room together.
He sighed and pushed himself off the frame, closing the door and gently setting his own bag onto the floor. Making his way to the strong minded girl taking a spare blanket from the top shelf of the wardrobe, he gently draped it over her and smiled softly as a small noise escaped her tired mouth.
"Get some sleep, angel." He let his hands linger for longer than necessary atop the blanket as he felt her body rise and fall softly, the day of travelling finally catching up with her.
Taggie shifted slightly underneath his touch, pulling away ever so slightly, "Don't call me that." he heard her mumble out.
His smile fell and he nodded, even though she couldn't see him, "Right. Of course." And with that he pulled away, before sliding to the floor his back resting against the bed desperate to be close to her but mindful of the fact she would run for the hills if he even sat on the bed whilst she slept.
This wasn't his intention when he accepted the wedding invite, but now that he was here. He needed to fix what had happened between him and Taggie. No matter what, he refused to spend the next two days of wedding activities seeking her out from the corner of his eye wondering if she left again to avoid him. He doesn't blame her, after all, what happened was his fault.
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Taggie wakes with a crick in her neck but feeling more rested than she previously had. The unbelievably soft duvet and pillows on the bed sent her away to dream land within seconds, she remained on her front the entire time she slept normally being restless in the night so something must've triggered a feeling of safety deep within. She turned her head to the right and noticed a tuft of black hair over the edge of the bed, Taggie shuffled her way towards it slightly when she felt the weight of a blanket across her legs, peering over she saw Rupert propping his head up in his hand as he slept sitting up.
A smile crossed her lips, her face softened, maybe he did still care about her after all.
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After waking Rupert up, the pair made their way to the dining hall of the hotel, there they would meet the happy couple that invited them to the extravagant wedding.
As Taggie pushed the double doors open into the hall she heard a woman let out an incredibly high pitched squeal.
"Taggie!" The next thing she knew, she had been engulfed by another in a crushing hug, the rich smell of plum and berries filled Taggie's nose and she was instantly transported back to being sixteen years old again finding out her loyal friend would be moving away for university. The emotions came rushing back and Taggie fell into the hug, squeezing back with equal strength.
"Oh Grace! I've missed you so much!" She spoke into the womans shoulder.
With one last squeeze the pair separated. Grace cupped Taggie's face in her hands, "Look at how much you've grown up! You look incredible Tag." Grace's smile and warm voice always put a smile on Taggie's face.
"Me? Look at you! You're glowing Grace, I can't believe you're getting married!"
Grace moved to Taggie's side and linked their arms together, just like she did when they were teens, "Come, let me introduce you to my wonderful fiance and then we can sit and finally catch up!"
Taggie nodded and let Grace lead her away and funnily enough, directly to where Rupert stood smirking at another man. She braced herself as they approached, Grace let go of Taggie and swooped to her soon to be husbands side, placing a kiss on his cheek. Taggie hung back for a split second, smiling at the happy couple glancing at Rupert and seeing him roll his eyes.
Grace turned to Taggie and Rupert, "Nice to meet you Mr Campbell-Black, Michael's told me so much about you and your," Grace looked him up and down, eyebrow raising slightly, "activities."
Rupert chuckled, "Yes I'm sure he has, but if you must know those ways are far behind me, I'm a changed man." His eyes drifted to Taggie as he spoke, Grace's mouth dropped slightly eyes darting between the pair, questions darting round her brain.
Michael let out a loud laugh, honestly making Taggie jump slightly, "Nice try, Campbell-Black I'll believe it when I see it and even if I do see it I'm sectioning myself to an institution because there is absolutely no way you could ever settle down, unlike myself of course." He threw his arm around Grace's shoulders, fingers caressing the top of her breast in a not so subtle attempt.
Oh Taggie really did not like this guy.
Grace chuckled awkwardly, "Enough now Michael, this is Taggie!" she gestured to Taggie who was honestly looking for an excuse to run at this point, "You remember don't you? I told you all about how much mayhem me and Tag used to get up to in Fulham."
Michael blinked and remained silent before replying, "Oh of course! Yes you're the school friend, right." He cleared his throat. Taggie rolled her eyes, he clearly did not remember Grace saying any of that.
"Nice to meet you." Taggie plastered a smile on her face and reached out her hand, Michael shook her hand and smiled subtly.
The conversation fizzled out after that, everyone stood around waiting for the next person to talk.
Grace cleared her throat and clapped her hands together, "Right, well there's champagne and some hors d'oeuvres being served around the hall so please do help yourself. Now Tag, time for our chat don't you think?"
Taggie sighed, she remembered that tone, she remembered that look Grace got when she noticed something. With a nod Taggie was once again being led around by Grace.
The pair sat at one of the round tables tucked away in one of the corners of the hall to at least gain a feeling of privacy.
"So Tag, how on earth do you know Rupert Campbell-Black?"
Taggie's eyes widened, how does she do that? "W-What? I um I don't."
Grace scoffed, "Don't even try to lie to me, I saw you enter together, I also know you're sharing a room together AND that look he gave you? Honey, you seem to have forgotten just who I am."
Taggie's face flushed, she knew it was a stupid idea to try and play dumb with Grace, there was a reason she was head girl to begin with she knew everyone's business in school and used her perceptive talents within university to obtain her law degree.
She sighed, "We live across from each other, things happened between us and then he decided it was obviously such a c-colossal mistake and has been avoiding me ever since. I mean God Grace, months of pining and tension and arguments and conversations and ending like this? It infuriates me, and now now he's starting to be all sweet again I can't cope with it.
Out of frustration Taggie grabbed one of the champagne glasses and brought it to her lips. As the liquid touched her bottom lip and the smell greeted her nose she snapped out of it and gingerly placed the glass back down.
Grace looked at her for a second and smirked, "You can drink Tag, I'm not going to tell you off like I did back then."
Taggie shook her head, "That…That's not it." Her gaze dropped to her lap as she fidgeted with her fingers, picking at her cuticles.
"What do you- Oh Tag!" Grace's voice dropped to a whisper, "He doesn't know does he."
Once again, Taggie shook her head, tears began to flood her eyes and her voice began to shake. "I found out two weeks after it happened, that was three months ago."
Grace reached across and grasped Taggie's hands in hers, "Why haven't you told him?" her voice was gentle, so gentle it coaxed a tear to fall from Taggie's eye.
"He left. I woke up the morning after alone, he was gone, no note. Nothing, he left me alone in his house. I waited for him, tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, he's busy he must've had to go into London or something happened with Venturer. I waited for hours but he never came back. The next time I saw him he ignored me, brushed me off like I was a child. He got what he wanted from me, he got a night with me like I was just another conquest, so no I haven't told him and I'm not going to." More tears streamed down her face as she spoke, Grace's hands squeezing hers for reassurance.
"Tag, I know I've only just met him but sweetheart he can't keep his eyes off of you. I was teasing earlier about the stories Michael told me but Tag they weren't even friends and haven't spoken in years. Michael wanted to invite him to gloat and show him how much better his life was…I know that doesn't make him sound like a good man but he is."
Taggie sighed and searched the room to find Rupert only when she did he was already look right at her. Her heart skipped a beat, she quickly looked away and wiped her face, trying to at least look sane again.
"You should tell him Tag, he deserves to know." With one last squeeze to her hands, Grace stood and walked away heading towards some of her other guests.
Taggie took a deep breath trying to calm herself down when someone else sat in Grace's recently empty chair.
"You okay, angel?"
Of course he came over to check on her, he'd caught her crying, why wouldn't he check.
She sniffed slightly, "I'm fine, just catching up with Grace."
She refused to look at him, if she did she feared everything would come spilling out. She'd kept this to herself for months and the second someone realised what was going on she unravelled like a ball of yarn.
"Do you want to go back to the room? I can let Grace know for you." He spoke softly but she could hear the concern in his voice.
She wanted to be angry, she deserved to be angry but anytime he showed her an ounce of care she melted. "Yeah, I um I need to get my dress ready for tomorrow and should probably try and sleep for longer than two hours."
Rupert offered her a hand, she hesitated for a second before taking it. Finally, she met his gaze and saw the worry written across his features. He slowly reached towards her face and brushed a few stray tears away. He knew something deeper was wrong but he was in no position to pry, he had no right to anymore.
With a small smile, Taggie left the hall and made her way back up to their room, out the corner of her eye she saw movement from outside. It was snowing, the perfect weather for a winter wedding.
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When Rupert finally made his way upstairs he expected Taggie to be sleeping already. He had carefully opened the door to not disturb her and almost jumped out of his skin when he saw her wide awake sitting against the headboard. That's when he noticed she was wearing her coat, her thick wool coat atop a knitted jumper all covered by the duvet. The room was freezing.
"I-I couldn't get the radiator to turn on." She shivered as she spoke, he could hear it in her voice.
Rupert made his way to the radiator and crouched down, he began to twist the valve only for it to not budge. His eyebrows furrowed as he tried once again groaning with effort, but still the valve would not move.
He sighed as he stood up, "I'll have to let them know in the morning it's too late now for them to sort it out. Sorry angel."
Taggie sniffled as she nodded, "Okay…Well, you're not sleeping on the floor in the cold," She pulled back the duvet and motioned for him to climb in, Rupert stared at her shocked for a brief moment, "Rupert, move now. I'm cold, I'm tired and the last bit of warmth I do have is currently seeping out."
With that he moved and climbed into the bed, sitting next to Taggie and keeping as much distance between them as he could.
They sat in bed together in silence for what felt like hours but was only a few minutes. Rupert was about to sink down and get some sleep when Taggie spoke, "Why?"
He paused and turned to face her, "Sorry?"
She held her gaze with the wall on the other side of the room, "Why did you leave? I waited. I waited and you left. I waited and you treated me like another one of your party girls. So," she turned to face him, "Why?"
Rupert's eyes flickered across her face, without knowing Taggie it would seem like she was being strong but in her eyes he could see the fear and the anger ready to escape.
"You deserve better. I'm not good enough for you Tag. I'll never be good enough. You'd get hurt being around me, people would talk, tabloids would slander you, you don't deserve that. You deserve the world."
Apparently that was the wrong thing to say as Rupert watched as the anger from her eyes flooded the rest of her face. "What give you the right to decide what's best for me."
"Tag I-"
"No. Shut up. Rupert I fell in love with you, you made me believe you fell for me too and then you left. What, because people will talk? Obviously! We live in bloody Rutshire! That's all people do is talk. I decide what's best for me and I was positive that was you. I decided that. So don't give me some bullshit, stop treating me like I'm a child."
Taggie was quite proud of herself, not once did she lose her composure, she spoke her mind and didn't let a tear slip through the cracks.
Rupert sighed and looked down, "You're right," he looked back at her face, this time his eyes wet with tears, "I'm so sorry angel."
She nodded, "Yeah, I should think so."
Taggie took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before whispering, "I still love you."
Rupert reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers, "I never stopped loving you, my angel."
Gently, he lifted their hands and kissed the back of hers, lips caressing her skin setting off fireworks within.
Taggie smiled at him and rested her head on his shoulder, sleep quickly began to overtake her but the last thing she thought before it came, she had to tell him.
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The morning of the wedding had arrived, Taggie woke without her coat but warmer than she had been before. As she gathered her bearing she realised she was laying on Rupert's chest. Once again he had made sure she was comfortable as she slept. She stayed there for a few moments, playing with a loose thread from his sweater,
"Morning angel."
Taggie's face immediately flushed, not only had she been caught but the gravely thickness of his morning voice sent a shiver down her spine. She buried her face into his chest as she let out an embarrassed squeak.
Rupert chuckled, "Now now, no hiding darling, we have to get ready the weddings at twelve. I saw your dress hanging on the wardrobe door and I'd very much enjoy seeing you in it."
She squeaked again burying her face further. He called her darling, how on earth was she supposed to be normal about that.
"Alright alright, I'll stop teasing. But we really do have to get up."
Taggie peaked up at him and saw him watching her, complete adoration in his eyes.
"Okay, let's get ready."
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Rupert had decided to be a gentleman and control himself, offering Taggie the en suite to get changed in. They had spent a night together many moons ago but Rupert wanted to get it right this time, so starting slow it was.
He had just finished buttoning his waistcoat when he heard a crash from the bathroom. He immediately ran to the door and knocked, "Tag, Tag, darling are you okay?"
No response. He pressed his ear to the door and could hear her quietly crying, "Angel I'm coming in okay?"
Slowly, he opened the bathroom door, there on the floor resting against the sink cabinet sat his precious angel crying all alone with a broken hairbrush next to her.
He sunk to her level, "Darling, what's the matter?" he spoke quietly trying not to spook her.
Taggie lifted her head, her lip was quivering and her eyes had gone red from crying so hard, "I don't fit into my dress!" the last word almost consumed by sobs.
Rupert brushed her hair out of her face and cupped her cheek, "It's okay Angel, I'm sure Grace has dresses with her. She seems like the type of girl to never go unprepared."
Taggie shook her head, "I-It won't matter! I won't fit."
"Tag you don't know that-"
She cut him off, "Yes I do! I won't fit because I'm pregnant Rupert! I fit into this dress only a few days ago but now? Now I don't because I keep getting bigger and it's all your fault!"
Taggie burst into more tears and Rupert stared at her, he froze. Pregnant. Taggie was pregnant, he couldn't believe it, just their luck that their one night together would result in that.
He let out a small chuckle and Taggie turned to face him, the small chuckle slowly turned into fits of laughter. She looked at him confused, "Rupert, this isn't funny!"
He kept laughing as he reached for her face and pulled her into a kiss. A deep, sticky, wet kiss. As he pulled away a grin taking up half his face formed.
Taggie, stunned, asked quietly, "W-what was that for?"
"You're pregnant! Tag, you're pregnant!"
Realisation dawned on her, she blurted it out, she hadn't meant to. "Y-You're not upset?"
"Upset? Tag, you're pregnant! I'm ecstatic! I'm only upset you didn't tell me sooner, but I understand darling, truly I'm not upset, this is the best gift you could possibly give me."
He swooped her up into his arms and cradled her as the final tears fell from her eyes.
"I love you Tag, with all my heart." He rested his hand on her belly, thumb moving back and forth finally saying 'hi' to his baby.
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It turned out that getting ready for the wedding was pointless. The snow had fallen so heavily during the night that they'd been snowed in. Snowed in. No one would be able to make it to the church and the priest was unable to make it to the hotel.
Grace didn't seem to be as upset as Taggie had thought. She imagined coming down to the hall and finding her friend in a panic about how her special day was ruined. However, Taggie entered to find Grace and Michael sitting around with some of the wedding guests eating breakfast as if it were any normal day.
When Taggie questioned Grace about it her friend had smiled widely,
"We eloped months ago! This was just a formality so people could party! I never wanted the big white wedding but my mother did so here we are!"
Taggie nodded along, right that explained that then. "Well, congratulations still! I'm very happy for you Grace."
Grace pulled Taggie into a hug as she let go she asked, "So what happened with Rupert?"
Characteristically Taggie's flush gave her away before she could answer, "I told him. We talked and well I think we're going to be very happy together."
Grace squealed, "Fantastic! Oh Tag, I'm so incredibly proud of you."
After another hug, Grace suddenly pulled away and a smirk appeared on her face, her planning face. "We booked the church for the entire day you know, and well I am good friends with the priest, I'm sure I could ask him to change the names during his little speech once we're free from here."
Taggie's jaw dropped, she couldn't seriously be suggesting what she thought she was suggesting.
"I think that sounds like a marvellous idea, Grace."
Of course he had to show up just as they were having this conversation.
Taggie turned to Rupert, her mouth still agape with shock.
"What do you say Tag? Marry me?"
In Rupert's hand he held a silver ring encrusted with diamonds and a sapphire in the centre.
On a normal day Taggie would run, on a normal day Taggie would yell at him for being irresponsible, but today wasn't normal, their situation wasn't normal. And she really, really loved him.
Taggie's face lit up, "Yes! Yes I'll marry you!"
She launched herself at Rupert, crashing her lips into his, wrapping her arms around his neck. Everything around them faded away, for now they were just Rupert and Taggie.
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It took four hours before they were able to leave the hotel, the snow had slowed to the point where it was able to be shovelled out of the way. They walked to the church, trudging through the layers of snow that remained, a five minute walking taking ten due to caution.
They walked hand in hand down the paths and into the church, being greeted by Father Luke and quickly making their way to the altar.
It wasn't traditional, their friends and families weren't there, Rupert wasn't in a tux and Taggie hadn't gotten the chance to walk down the aisle in a dress made for a princess. Instead they stood together as Father Luke spoke, standing in soaking wet winter clothes, with Grace and Michael there as witnesses.
"I Rupert, promise to love, honour and cherish Taggie for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death us do part."
"I Taggie, promise to love, honour and cherish Rupert for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death us do part."
They sealed their vows with a kiss. They were married. They were married and expecting a child.
What had started as a weekend expected to be filled with awkwardness and unresolved tension turned out to be the best weekend of both their lives.
They were together once again and this time it would stick. This time they were bound together, by the church, by law and by soul. They were together and neither of them planned to let the other go.
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