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A wave of appreciation washed over her. Perhaps her love of all things fashion hadn’t deserted her after all. She flopped down onto the couch and tilted her head against its back, twisting to her left as a sudden movement at the shop window caught her eye.
What the…
Chapter Twenty Three
‘Is this it?’ asked Lilac. ‘The Cotswolds branch of Sophie-Louise Bridal Couture?’
Nikki and Tish stood on each side of Lilac as they peered into Gingerberry Yarns. The plate-glass window had steamed up and trickles of condensation ran in parallel lines from top to bottom, collecting in tiny pools on the windowsill.
‘I’m not sure what I’m seeing exactly, but it looks like a bunch of old ladies sitting around a table, knitting. What do you see, Nikki?’
Nikki groaned inwardly. For the first time, she found herself cursing her ever-present need for efficiency. She’d anticipated the meeting with the bishop would take a lot longer than it actually had – it seemed he had an even more punishing schedule than a BAFTA-winning actress. When they’d emerged from the cathedral, she’d called their limousine service and they’d dashed across to Somersby. She’d thought that Sophie could probably utilise the extra time with Lilac after she’d made the announcement. She checked her watch. Eight-thirty. Clearly Sophie was busy doing something else.
‘Do you think those ladies are her assistants?’ asked Tish, her mouth gaping as she watched a lady in a wheelchair roll over to the table by the door and help herself to a selection of cupcakes from a giant pyramid to take back to the gathering.
‘Maybe,’ replied Nikki, her hand over her eyes as she strained to understand what was going on inside. ‘I think some of them are sewing.’
‘It looks like lingerie,’ murmured Lilac.
‘Oh, God!’ spluttered Tish.
‘What?’
‘No, nothing,’
‘What?’ Lilac tucked her wavy bob, the colour of liquid caramel, behind her ears and placed her hands on her hips. ‘You’ve forgotten to order my lingerie, haven’t you, Tish?’
‘Yes.’ Tish scrunched up her shoulders and creases appeared across her brow as she waited for the blow to fall. ‘Sorry.’
‘Doesn’t matter; I’ll sort it. Now, are we going to risk being labelled a trio of sad voyeurs or are we going inside?’
‘I think we should go back to the car and wait until this, erm, this meeting has finished,’ suggested Nikki striding back towards the sleek limo with blacked-out windows and the most handsome driver she’d set eyes on. It was probably the uniform that did it, though… it was one of her weaknesses that she was working hard on eradicating. Or maybe it was the spicy cologne, or his broad muscular shoulders, or his…
‘Oh, good grief, let me through.’ Lilac pushed past Tish and Nikki and opened the door. The bell tinkled above her head. ‘Quaint!’
The chatter ceased and all heads swung in unison to look at the elegant, six-foot-tall movie star who had stumbled into their world from another planet.
‘Oh, this is completely adorable.’ Lilac stepped into Gingerberry Yarns and was immediately enveloped by a sense of calm and comfort. ‘You must be Sophie-Louise? I love yourshop! Are you having a party? Oh wow, these cakes! Do you import your pastries from Paris?’
***
Sophie rose from her place at the gigantic mahogany table and took a couple of steps forward. ‘Yes, I’m Sophie-Louise. What can I… What are you… Why?’
She watched as the extremely glamorous woman drew herself to her full height, straightened her shoulders, and cleared her throat. Then, in a rich melodic voice she said, ‘I’m Lilac Verbois, and I’m here to announce that Sophie-Louise Bridal Couture has won the Lilac Verbois Wedding Gown Competition! Congratulations!’
There was a moment’s silence. Sophie gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth in disbelief, but Nessa was quicker off the mark. ‘Oh, my God! That’s awesome!’ she shrieked, and the room exploded into noisy chatter, only now it was a full octave higher than before the announcement.
Nessa and Delia gathered a stunned, silent Sophie into their arms and kissed her. ‘Well done, Sophie!’
It took half an hour for the ladies to calm down and have a variety of items autographed, by which time their Cupcakes & Couture session had ended and they had to start packing away.
‘So, Cupcakes & Couture,’ mused Lilac, who had been given the Throne of Honour at the head of the table where she was being shown the various finished products of the group’s toil. ‘I love this bridal lingerie. I think you might have just saved someone’s skin, ladies.’ Lilac smirked as she shot a look across at Tish who was loitering next to the cake table, her hand heldunder her chin to catch the crumbs from the fifth pistachio macaron she’d indulged in. ‘Are they silk?’
‘Yes, it’s organic silk. I source it for the salon in London from a small women’s collective in India. Everything has been hand-sewn and embellished by the Cupcakes & Couture ladies.’
‘I particularly like this ivory teddy. I’d like to order seven, please, in different shades, one for each night of our honeymoon. And could you design me a bridal basque in this fabric please, and matching knickers?’
‘Erm, yes, of course.’
