‘With the future Mrs Stone out of sight, fried for sure.’ Michael laughed.
As Rita went to head back to the farmhouse, Zenya called after her, ‘Imogen checked in on her own; her friend couldn’t make it evidently.’
Rita groaned. ‘Oh God, more time for her to be poking around the place.’
Rita had asked Kelly to check on Hilda for her, where she found her in the annexe, fully dressed in leopard print shift dress, thick tights, pink trainers, and bright fuchsia lipstick. Her grey bob had not a hair out of place. The district nurse had just been in and now only a small thin bandage covered her left hand.
Hilda lit a cigarette and plumed the smoke deliberately into the air with a huge smile. ‘Nectar! First one for a while.’ She then coughed furiously and butted it immediately. ‘Don’t you ever tell young Rita that she might be the reason for memaybegiving up, you know.’
Kelly shook her head and smiled. ‘Don’t ever change, Hilda; we all love you how you are.’
‘When anyone wants something, that is,’ Hilda replied with a hint of sadness in her voice.
‘That’s not true of your family and you know that,’ Kelly snapped. ‘Considering what you’ve been through, you’re looking very sprightly,’ she added, smiling.
Hilda was brisk. ‘Well, I’m hardly going to miss some Cinderella carriage coming down the drive now, am I? Bloody horse will be shitting everywhere, though, I expect.’
Kelly laughed, then frowned at her phone. ‘The celebrant’s late.’
Hilda tutted. ‘Well, bloody call her then.’
Thanks to Sennen’s efficiency, Kelly had already saved the number to her phone. Hilda waved for Kelly to put it on speaker phone. ‘I’ve been in an accident,’ the shaky woman’s voice said at the end of the phone. ‘Not serious, but the police are here and there is no chance of me making it in time. I’m so, so sorry. In all my time as a celebrant this has never happened before. I can give you a number of a friend of mine, but it’s June and a busy time, so… anyway, let me send you the vows.’
‘Thank you.’ Kelly shook her head. ‘And how awful, for you. I hope you’re OK?’
‘Hang up!’ Hilda said rudely.
Kelly went pale. Hilda didn’t even blink. ‘Don’t worry, love. I’ve got this in hand.’
Before Kelly could ask what that meant, the sound of a hunting horn reverberated around the courtyard.
All the awaiting guests’ heads turned.
A white horse appeared at the end of the drive, ridden by a smart equestrian in a black gold-buttoned jacket, white jodhpurs, and polished boots, pulling the ornate glass-and-gold carriage in which Annie sat resplendent in a huge meringueof a pale pink dress, grinning like the Cheshire cat. Jago walked alongside in full coat and tails, looking so devastatingly handsome that Rita let out an audible sigh.
Michael strode over and leaned into the carriage to kiss his future wife. ‘I bloody love you, you mad old mare.’
‘I might have to swap you for this young stallion if you don’t behave yourself,’ Annie teased with a wink to Jago as he helped her out of the carriage.
Once both her feet were on terra firma, the waiting crowd laughed and cheered.
FORTY-SEVEN
Rita watched as the guests took their seats alongside the Singing Tree, perched atop High Meadow where the land tumbled away into sheer cliffs. From here, the sea stretched, endless and silver, catching the morning sun in a hundred sparkling fragments. A soft summer breeze drifted over the meadow, warm enough to lightly tan bare arms but cool enough to feel refreshing. A lone seagull wheeled lazily against the clear blue, its cawing echoing over the cliffs, as if giving its approval of the sweet union to come.
With the day so clear, the view was especially incredible today, where the buzzing of insects mixed with the incessant chatter of the waiting guests. The wildflower pails lined the aisle in riotous colours, complemented by flickering tea lights in glass lanterns, whilst the two pedestals either side of the lectern brimmed with fragrant sweet peas and freesias, filling the air with a scent, heady and delicate.
Annie leaned towards Sennen. ‘Where’s the celebrant?’
Before she could answer, there was the unmistakable sound of hooves. And all of a sudden, there was Hilda galloping into view, clinging for dear life to the back of the equestrian on Lucky Star, before dismounting with surprising confidence,considering her injury. Taking off her helmet, she straightened her shift dress, walked calmly to the front of the aisle, and smiled sweetly at Michael and the congregation.
‘Hell on a bicycle?’ Rita hissed to Kelly.
‘No, on a horse.’ Kelly tried to keep her laughter down. ‘The celebrant had an accident,’ she was whispering now. ‘Hilda said she’s got it covered.’
Rita’s stomach flipped. Oh God… surely this wasn’t something else from Hilda’s repertoire of life experience she had kept from her? A celebrant!
Hilda cleared her throat as a gentle trill floated from the harp, the first notes soft and trembling. Then the musician’s clear, sweet voice began to sing, ‘So This Is Love…’fromCinderella.
