Katie Fforde - Wedding Season

‘It is really lovely,' said Sarah. 'You're good at this, Bron. And how pretty is that fake one? How did you make it?’

‘That was easy,' said Bron. 'It's just a ball with icing on it. The real cake will go on this.'

‘This' was the pole with the metal discs that now was stuck into a stone pot. 'I don't know if Carrie will want to see all this really, but I brought it for you as much as anyone.'

‘If you can make the real cake look half as good as that one, it'll be dreamy,' said Sarah. 'You are talented.' Hugo, disconcertingly as far as Elsa was concerned, had begun wandering about taking photographs. 'Sorry,' he said, catching her anxious look. 'I'm doing some candid before shots for the wedding.'

‘It's true,' said Sarah. 'Mandy was most insistent that Hugo be here.' She sighed. She still hadn't quite got used to working with him. Her emotions were all over the place and she didn't like it. It was so much harder to be her usual professional self when he was around and yet she couldn't help secretly being pleased to see him. It was all very disconcerting.

‘It's useful to have someone around who's willing to eat cake,' said Bron. 'James has given it up.'

‘Not for ever, just for a few days,' he said.

‘I must get my samples out,' said Elsa, going to a huge cupboard in the corner. 'I've got four designs here and enough bits of fabric for her to see how they'd look over one another.'

‘Oh wow,' said Bron, looking at Elsa's drawing. 'They really are fairy tale.'

‘This is the one I like best,' said Laurence.

‘That's Lily's dress,' said Elsa. 'I've finished it. It's under that sheet over there.’

`Mm. It's simpler than all these,' Laurence went on. 'I don't think Carrie wants simple,' said Bron.

‘Well, we're just about to find out,' said Hugo, looking out of the window. 'She's here!’

Sarah watched as Elsa talked Carrie and Mandy through her designs. She was very impressed. Since Elsa had been forced into a bridesmaid's dress less than two months earlier she'd transformed into a much more confident young woman. She'd always been brilliant at her job but there was a sparkle to her now that hadn't been there before. Due, in no small measure, to Laurence, she felt.

Bron had been brilliant too. Carrie and Mandy had eaten quite a lot of cake for people so interested in keeping thin, and Carrie had adored the fake-cakes and would have ordered them to go all the way up the drive had she not been talked out of it by Mandy and Sarah and a panic-stricken Bron.

The impressive device for holding the proper cake had been admired and the designs for the final creation proved to be just what Carrie had wanted.

James and Laurence had slipped away to the pub at the earliest opportunity. Hugo was the only man in the room now, taking photographs, making jokes, flirting gently. Sarah forced him out of her mind and went over to join Carrie and Elsa by Elsa's flip chart.

‘This is the one, Sarah,' said Carrie, tapping the drawing. 'Only with many more crystals. I want to glitter like a fairy!’

Sarah took one look at the drawing and saw it was already fairly well spangled. 'Where else do you want crystals, Carrie? I can't see where you'd fit them on.'

‘Down the seams of the bodice,' said Elsa. 'They'll come down into a point and then flare out as the dress becomes full. Imagine a sort of Elizabeth the First busk, coming down into a point.'

‘She was known as the Fairy Queen, wasn't she?' said Bron.

‘Sort of,' agreed Hugo, capturing Mandy and Carrie together, fingering a fragment of crystal-nylon that shone like gossamer.

‘Are you having wings?' asked Bron. 'To complete the fairy look?’

Sarah intercepted a look of horror from Elsa.

‘No,' said Carrie, luckily. 'I think that would be a bit tacky.’

Silently several people sighed with relief.

‘Will you be able to finish it in three weeks?' asked Sarah quietly, while Carrie was posing again for Hugo.

‘Oh yes,' said Elsa. 'I'll have to crack on, but I've got nothing else going on now. There's a chance I'll have a work-experience girl to help me sew on the crystals.'

‘And the bridesmaids' dresses?' Mandy, usually quite happy to be demanding on Carrie's behalf, did now seem abashed that not only had Carrie not previously chosen her wedding dress, but that she'd been equally vague about what her bridesmaids should wear.

‘They're going to be much simpler than Carrie's,' said Elsa. 'It should be fine.'

‘I've just had a thought,' said Carrie. There was a general holding of breath. 'While wings would be tacky for me, they'd be darling for the little ones. Don't you think?’

Elsa was firm. 'If I simplify their dresses even more, they can have wings. I think wings would be quite sweet and they're perfectly possible, but with the amount of spangles currently on that design, they'd be OTT.'

‘Oh that's fine! You decide how many spangles, as long as I can have wings,' said Carrie.

‘Way to go, Elsa,' muttered Bron and Sarah.

Now everything had been sorted out and everyone seemed happy, or potentially so, with the dresses and cake, Mandy looked at her watch and said, 'I think we'd better be going, honey. It's been great! You must be so pleased that Carrie has finally made up her mind about the dress, Elsa.'

‘I do think that's a lovely choice,' Elsa agreed, not allowing the frustration she had suffered at not knowing what she would have to do until the last minute to show. 'And if you want a stand-up ruff, let me know. It could look very fairy-like.’

After much air-kissing Mandy and Carrie finally left. 'You're looking quite stressed, Sarah,' said Elsa, who was obviously fizzing with enthusiasm.

Sarah shrugged. 'I shall probably have to source a fairy coach pulled by two white horses now, with this fairy theme. Luckily I do think I know of one.' She looked earnestly at her friend. 'You're a star, Elsa. You handled Carrie so well. I know I can trust you absolutely. This dress will make you a fortune, I promise. You'll have to take on proper staff, never mind work-experience girls.'

‘Well, thank you for choosing me for Carrie,' said Elsa, hugging Sarah.

‘And you, Bron, the cake is delicious, the fake-cakes are going to look stunning..

They would have gone on exchanging compliments for longer but Hugo hooked one arm through Elsa's and the other through Sarah's. He looked firmly at Bron, having to rely on the force of his personality. 'Come on, ladies. Let's join the others in the pub. We've got a lot to celebrate.'

‘I really ought to start work straightaway,' said Elsa.

‘No. It's a Sunday, you can have a celebratory drink first, and then work. Same for you, Sarah. And Bron. No one is lifting a finger until you've all acknowledged how well you've done. Come on.'

‘He's awfully bossy, isn't he?' said Sarah to Bron, still linked to Hugo.

‘Mm,' agreed Bron. 'I rather like that!’

Sarah didn't comment but she decided that at that particular moment she rather liked it too.

James and Laurence were surrounded by Sunday papers. They'd obviously been enjoying a quiet time while the others had been involved with Carrie. They both got to their feet and the three girls threaded their way between them and collapsed into the squashy chairs.

‘Right,' said Hugo. 'It's a celebration. Do we want champagne?'

‘I take it it all went well?' said James.

‘It did,' said Elsa. 'But no champagne for me, thank you, Hugo. I don't want to be a party pooper but I really do have to work later and I'm quite tired as it is.' She glanced at Laurence who twinkled back at her. Part of her would have liked to be here on her own with Laurence. She hoped they'd have a moment at least to arrange another date before he had to dash off again.