Maddy’s Christmas Wedding (Little Duck Pond Cafe #37)

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

I stared at Jack, feeling a little surge of excitement.

‘Today? But that’s impossible.’

‘No, it’s not. We’ve all been busy.’

‘Doing what?’

‘Organising a wedding.’

I gasped. ‘Jack, for goodness’ sake stop being so mysterious and tell me what’s going on! Are you serious? We’re getting married today?’

He nodded. ‘It was Ellie’s idea. Kate was telling her about their plans to host weddings at Chancery House.’ He pointed in the direction of Kate and George’s house nearby.

‘Oh, we saw Kate at the airport when we were coming back from Lapland,’ I recalled. ‘But I was too distracted to hear what was being said. I was dreading having to tell you about what Marcus had told me.’

‘Thank goodness we got over that . . . blip.’

We exchanged a rueful look.

‘So yes, apparently that’s when Kate mentioned she’d been on a course in Glasgow – training to be a celebrant.’

My mouth opened in astonishment. ‘Hang on. Kate’s now a wedding celebrant?’

‘She is. And ours is going to be the first wedding she’ll officiate at.’ He paused. ‘If that’s what you’d like.’

‘If that’s what I’d like?’ I gazed at him. ‘Of course that’s what I’d like! I’m desperate to marry you. But where would the ceremony take place?’ I asked doubtfully. ‘In Chancery House?’

He stood up and beckoned me over to the window. I looked out and the sight that met my eyes made me gasp. Last night, everything had been pitch black when I’d looked out. But in the daylight, I could see that Kate and George’s back garden was now dominated by a large, pristine white marquee.

‘Oh, my God! This is amazing. By the way, you do realise that you proposed to me right there, underneath that very horse chestnut tree, last time we stayed here?’

I pointed and Jack grinned. ‘Of course I remember. I’m not likely to forget. I was petrified you were going to turn me down. I think you were running away from me at the time and trying to hide in the tree?’

I laughed. ‘Let’s not remember that bit – just the bit where I said yes!’ I shook my head, feeling happily dazed. ‘But who . . . I mean, how did it all come together like this?’

He smiled. ‘Remember that day I called by the café after work to take you for a drink?’

‘I do.’

‘Well, that’s when Ellie suggested to me the idea of an alternative wedding plan.’

I laughed. ‘Yes! I saw you two deep in conversation. So that’s what you were talking about?’

He nodded. ‘We decided to keep it a secret because we didn’t want to get your hopes up if it wasn’t going to work out.’

I gazed at him in awe. ‘You really have been busy! But what about our guests? Do they know about all this? And the food and the champagne? The Moonbeam Sodding Castle Hotel was meant to be organising all of that. And then there’s my dress. It’s at home. And my hair and make-up?’ I dashed to the mirror and gazed at my reflection in horror. ‘When’s it happening? Because I can’t walk down the aisle looking like this!’

There was a scuffle beyond the door and the sound of a throat being cleared.

Jack chuckled. ‘Come in!’ he called.

And then there were my besties, smiling like cats that had got the cream because they’d managed to fool me, and holding an array of hair styling items and a box that I hoped might contain lotions and potions and make-up to render a scruffy bride-to-be beautiful for her walk down the aisle! (Or at least as close to beautiful as was physically possible.)

‘I can’t believe you kept all this to yourselves,’ I laughed. ‘Hang on!’ I gazed accusingly at Jack. ‘Is that why Mum and Dad whisked me off to Barcelona? So that I’d be out of the way and you could get on with your planning?’

He grinned. ‘Absolutely. You’re far too smart. You’d have cottoned on to the plan straight away. We needed to get you well out of the way.’

‘But what about all our guests?’ I asked again.

‘I phoned around and explained what had happened and everyone was really sympathetic. And luckily, most were able to rearrange and come to the wedding a day early.’ He shrugged. ‘Sadly, my cousin and his wife can’t be here because they fly back from Tenerife tonight. But incredibly, everyone else has been able to make it.’

‘Wow. That’s amazing. The food, though? And the champagne?’ I asked anxiously.

‘Lottie’s organised it. Well, the food, anyway.’

‘Lottie?’ Our lovely friend once worked in Ellie’s café.

‘She studied at a cordon bleu cookery school for two years, remember?’ said Ellie. ‘So she’s obviously fabulous at designing menus.’

‘And cooking, obviously,’ added Katja, before ducking out. ‘Back in a mo,’ she called.

‘Lottie’s actually thinking she might like to set up her own catering business,’ said Jaz, ‘So she’s loved being able to do this for you.’

‘Wow. Sorry, I keep saying wow. But wow!’

Everyone chuckled and came to plonk themselves on the bed.

‘Catering for sixty people can’t have been easy. Ooh, I wonder what’s on the menu.’ I laughed incredulously. ‘Imagine not knowing what you’re going to be eating at your own wedding! I quite like that, though. And to think I spent so bloody long poring over those Moonbeam Castle Hotel menus, trying to decide what to choose. I should have just let you all organise everything. This is so much more fun.’

‘Is it?’ Jack looked suddenly anxious.

‘Er, yes!’

‘Good. I thought you’d love the surprise element but I wasn’t entirely sure. So all this was a bit of a gamble, really. You might have not wanted any of it.’

‘Behave.’ I grinned. ‘You all know me better than that. I mean, it’s not as if I’m averse to being the star of my own show, is it? And this sounds as if it’s going to be one spectacular event. Much better than anything a poky old pretend castle could provide!’

I shook my head, wondering if maybe I was dreaming and I would wake up any second. ‘I think it’s incredible that you’ve all mucked in and done this for me. I honestly couldn’t be happier. Hang on a second.’ I grabbed Jack’s hand. ‘I’ve just thought of something. Our wedding won’t be legal, will it? Not without the registrar.’

He smiled. ‘That’s why we’ll be going to the town hall tomorrow at eleven. To make the whole thing official.’

‘Really? But you cancelled our slot.’

Jack shook his head. ‘No, I didn’t. I never got round to it. Ellie came up with her plan and I knew we needed to keep the appointment so the marriage would be legal.’

‘Thank goodness for that.’ I laughed in relief. ‘You actually thought of everything. Oh, my God, I’m getting married today! Where’s my dress?’ I scrambled off the bed and stared at the girls in a panic. ‘I need my dress.’

‘Did someone mention a wedding dress? It’s not this one by any chance, is it?’ And Katja reappeared, bearing my beautiful gown in its protective cover in one hand and the veil in the other.’

I pressed my hands over my heart, feeling ridiculously emotional. A happy tear slid down my cheek and I dashed it away with a smile.

‘Crikey, if I’m like this now, what on earth am I going to be like later when I have to walk down the aisle on Dad’s arm?’

*****

The lovely surprises just kept on coming.

The wedding was planned for three o’clock, which gave me plenty of time to have a hearty breakfast with everyone before enjoying the whole business of getting ready. Jack had been banished (he wasn’t allowed to glimpse the dress) and had joined his best man and ushers in a luxury caravan on a site nearby – the only accommodation they’d managed to get during a particularly busy Christmas week!

I washed my hair and conditioned it in the shower, then I wrapped it in a towel and took a long, luxuriously scented bath. Then Mum arrived, looking so excited, saying she had no idea how she’d managed to keep all this a secret from me. Primrose and my twin sisters, Chloe and Jasmine, joined us a moment later as I was emerging wrapped in a soft white robe, so then I had all seven of my bridesmaids with me and we decided now might be a good time to pop open the champagne.

Katja, who was ‘good at hair’ gave me a blow-dry and put in some huge rollers, then Laurel, who was a trained beautician, worked her magic on me until I looked just the way I’d always longed to look on my wedding day: natural, my happiness shining through and adding the sort of delicate flush that no make-up could quite emulate.

Laurel then did all the bridesmaids’ make-up and they all went to get dressed in the room next door, while Mum stayed with me to help me into my own dress.

Guests were starting to arrive now, cars parked all the way along the lane, and we kept dashing to the window to see who we could spot walking into the fabulous marquee.

Mum tried not to cry when finally, I was standing there in my beautiful ivory satin off-the-shoulder dress which Katja had kindly said made me look demure and sexy at the same time. Like my bridesmaids, I had a beautiful pale grey fake fur wrap to keep the cold at bay on the way to the venue.

There was a knock on the door and Dad appeared.

His eyes widened when he saw me.

‘Doesn’t she look beautiful, Barry?’ whispered Mum, and he smiled and said of course I did; I was my mother’s daughter, which I thought was really sweet.

‘You look radiant, my love,’ he murmured. ‘Really. You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.’ He grinned. ‘Except for your mum, of course.’

Jaz popped her head round the door in a waft of perfume, looking willowy and stunning in her dress and wearing her fake fur wrap. And then everyone else came in to ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’ over the bride-to-be before carrying Mum off with them to the venue.

And then I was alone with my Dad, my hero since I was a little girl.

‘Oh, Dad, I can’t believe I’m getting married. It seems like a dream after everything that’s happened.’

I’d told them about Marcus having Marfan syndrome and they’d been really shocked to hear it – and about the genetic link. Mum said I should have told them straight away that I was worried I might have inherited the faulty gene from Marcus, but I knew I’d made the right decision, not telling them until I knew the facts. There was no point worrying them over nothing.

As Dad and I hugged, I whispered, ‘Are you okay? I mean, really okay? I’ve been so worried about you.’

‘I’m fine, Maddy. Really. I’m doing what the doc tells me and I feel as fit as a fiddle. And today, I’m feeling so proud, I think I might burst.’

I was about to make a joke, as I’d usually do, but I saw the wobble in his face and my heart melted. His eyes were moist with tears. Then he said, ‘Oh, hell, Maddy, make a funny comment, will you? Otherwise, I think I might be about to break down and embarrass myself.’

I laughed. ‘Did you hear about the two mobile phones that got married? The reception was great!’

He groaned and patted my shoulder. ‘I said something funny, love.’

‘Gee, thanks, Dad.’

We looked at each other and started to laugh, which was just as well because one more solemn moment between us and Laurel’s gorgeous make-up would have been totally ruined.

‘So are we walking along or are we going in your car?’ I asked, peeking out of the window at the marquee for the millionth time.

‘Neither,’ said Dad, and right on cue, I heard a strange sound, which seemed to be coming from the front of the cottage.

I frowned at Dad. ‘Is that what I think it is?’

He grinned. ‘Horses’ hooves. Yes. Come on, Cinderella. It’s time to go to the ball!’

‘No!’ I tried to run from the room to get a look out of the other side of the house, but it was a little difficult in my figure-hugging satin number. But finally, I was able to get a view of the front door. And there, in all its splendour, was the carriage from last night’s performance with the two handsome white horses standing there patiently, apparently waiting to transport me to my wedding!

‘Come on, love,’ said Dad. ‘It’s time to get married.’

Smiling at him – finally realising that this wasn’t a dream; it was actually real – I linked my lovely dad’s arm and we walked downstairs together to the waiting carriage . . .