Katie Fforde - Wedding Season

‘Oh, Fenella!' exclaimed Sarah, her eyes wide as she took in all the detail. 'It's paradise! It's perfect!'

‘I did the painting myself,' said Fenella proudly. 'It's taken almost all the time since I last saw you. I had to help Rupert with the rest of the decorating, too, so I've had some long days.' She yawned and then laughed.

‘I'm so impressed. Now, show me the rest,' said Sarah.

‘Ah, well, this is the bit we couldn't get done,' said Fenella, indicating a corridor. 'I thought of hanging a sheet over the entrance, but it might look a bit as if we're still decorating,' she went on. 'We are, of course, but we don't want to advertise the fact.’

Sarah considered. 'Mm, tell you what, why don't we get some pots or jars or something and stick branches – big branches – in them. It'll look as if there's a wood in your house, put up a few fairy lights and people won't go down here. It'll fit in with the real/ fake theme and if you don't put up physical barriers people wander about all over the place, looking for the loo.’

Fenella's face took on a look of panic. 'I think that's a great idea, I really do, but I haven't time to do it. I'll just stick a notice up, "Trespassers Will be Prosecuted".’

Sarah laughed. 'But think how much funnier it would be if there was a wood here! Bron's friend James..

‘The one who's sleeping in the caravan?'

‘Yes. We'll ask him to do it. He's a gardener. Once he's helped Bron with the fake trees he can hack at real ones. Do we know where the cake is going to be yet?'

‘Here.' Fenella opened the door into the dining room.

‘Oh, wow!' said Sarah, thrilled. 'This is fantastic! You've created the most perfect space for the grand entrance!' She could now easily picture the long double row of fake trees, sparkling in the lights, leading to the wedding cake, bigger than the others, at the end of the row. 'You must have completely redecorated – there's nothing shabby about your chic now!'

‘It took us for ever,' said Fenella, tired at the memory of it all. 'We didn't give in and rent a scaffolding tower for two days and I was perched on the top of a ladder, which I really hate, having to go back down again every time my brush needed more paint.'

‘Couldn't you have hung the tin off the ladder or something?'

‘I could have if I'd had a proper paint kettle, but we just had these massive tins of white paint that I put a bit of colour into. Anyway, Rupert, who was rebuilding the pigsties – where Bron will be staying – came in and said it was bloody ridiculous. He went into town and came back with the tower. He'd only hired it so it had to go back but I wanted to keep it. So much better than those horrible ladders. We've still got loads of decorating to do, after all.'

‘You've done a fantastic job, Fen, I don't know how you did it in the time.'

‘By working all the hours God sends,' said Fenella.

‘It's been worth every second, really it has. And now it's done, you've got this amazing venue.’

Fenella nodded. 'It's what kept us going.' She sighed deeply. 'Do you really think we have to bother with the branches in jars thing?'

‘Yes,' said Sarah. 'I'll ask James when they arrive. He'll do it. And Elsa will be here soon too. She might have time to help him.’

Elsa arrived shortly after Bron and James and was shown the bedroom Fenella had allocated for Carrie so she had somewhere to use while she was in the house. She could leave her things there, have her make-up touched up and generally use it as a base. It would also be useful for the bridesmaids.

‘It's our bedroom, actually,' Fenella said wistfully. 'It's the only one currently with an en suite, so I had to give it up. We're a bit short of bedrooms that don't desperately need sorting out.'

‘It's beautiful!' said Elsa. 'And so huge! You could have a ball in here.'

‘Yes, it is a good size.'

‘It's about the same size as my workroom at home,' said Elsa, feeling the need to impress on Fenella just how massive this bedroom was, 'which is the entire floor of an old factory.'

‘Oh, that is quite big, isn't it?’

Elsa nodded. 'I'll go down and get my rail, then I'll start bringing up the dresses. When are the bridesmaids coming?'

‘I've got it written down somewhere. They're not coming all at once, fortunately.'

‘After they've had their fittings and I've done any alterations I can help you. Sarah said she'd been making unreasonable demands and that I must be useful.’

Fenella laughed. 'Sarah's great, isn't she?’

Elsa nodded. 'But she admits she can be quite demanding. She does have very high standards.'

‘Nothing wrong with that. Anyway, will you and Sarah be all right in those little attics?' Fenella went on. 'You have got one each, which is better than having to share, but they are rather tiny. The bathroom works OK if you run the hot tap for ages. Hot water comes through eventually.'

‘They looked sweet; we'll be fine there,' said Elsa. 'I loved the curtains – gorgeous fabric.'

‘Probably genuine antiques,' said Fenella. 'We found them in an old trunk. Well, this isn't going to get the baby bathed. I must find James and get him to hack down some trees. There's a small wood nearby – I'm sure we won't miss it. We can't have Celeb magazine discovering our undecorated passageway!’

Bron was in the kitchen, looking at her real cakes. There were six of them and the top one was already iced. It was a little dome of green-icing flowers with crystal centres. She'd taken so much trouble with it and got it so perfect she hoped she could do the rest of the icing as well. She had several large plastic boxes of icing already made up, enough spare nozzles and icing bags to set up a small shop and was all ready to go, except she was nervous. She'd practised her flowers until she could do them really quickly, but doing something in the safety of Veronica's kitchen, with Veronica on hand for advice, was one thing. Now she had to assemble the layers and actually finish the thing.

Fenella came in. 'How are you getting on? Do you want a hand taking it all upstairs? I'll ask Rupert. I'm still trying to find enough sheets. I know I've got loads, my mother gave me all her old ones, but I can't find them! I've done most of them-' Fenella stopped as she noticed Bron's slightly frazzled look. 'I'll find Rupert. He can help you.’

Bron would have preferred James because he knew what he was doing by now, but he'd been sent into the wood with a pair of loppers, a pruning saw and a ladder. She fully accepted that he was the best man for that particular job, but he was also the best man for transporting her cakes; he was experienced with cakes by now and knew how they should be handled. She wasn't sure she wanted to trust her confectionery to Rupert, who, nice as he was, might drop something vital.

Still, she smiled politely at him when he appeared, wearing paint-spattered jeans and a jumper with the welt hanging off.

‘I gather you need some help?' And he picked up several sections of cake that had been stacked together and disappeared out of the room.

While Bron had some idea where she needed to be, she wasn't exactly sure of the way. Rupert was lovely but she was worried that his busyness might mean he didn't treat her cake with the care and attention it required. She picked up the top she had already iced and followed him, as swiftly as she could with such a delicate burden.

She could hear him talking in a loud voice to someone and she knew he wasn't paying attention. She hurried and found the staircase, currently covered with drugget – a trip hazard if ever she saw one – terrified that any moment she would come across Rupert and a pile of cake crumbs.

Now she was nearer she could hear that Rupert was talking to Hugo. The men were laughing and teasing each other. Just too far away to yell, 'Mind my cake!' she sped along the hallway, which was wide enough for two women to take exercise side by side in hooped skirts. Where was Rupert? She knew he wouldn't have let her get lost on purpose, he was far too kind and gentlemanly, but he had a lot to do and had long legs.