Then a slow smile broke across his face. ‘If I’m agreeable? If I think it’s a good idea? I think it’s just about perfect! Fancy Alice doing something so generous in the end.’ Then he grabbed Clancy to him, rolling on his back so she was completely supported by his body and he could drag her head down to his to kiss and kiss while the waves broke, the gulls called, and they were covered in a great deal of the sand of Nelson’s Bar.

And, Secret Beach being called ‘secret’ for a reason, they held a very secret celebration.

Epilogue

August, the next year

Bridegroom Aaron stood at the front of the function room at the Duke of Bronte, which had dropped the label B&B now Oli’s brother had become a partner in the business, bringing with him enough capital to finance the extension that allowed the celebration of weddings. Best man Lee stood beside Aaron. A piano was playing gentle background music while the congregation, which filled the room and spilled over into ranks of red velvet seats on the lawn, waited for the bride.

Then there was a stir at the back and he turned to see Clancy Moss walking towards him up an aisle edged with sprays of flowers.

Her dress was cream, flowing around her as she walked, and tiny ivory narcissi were pinned in her hair. Her arm was linked chummily with her father’s, her parents having torn themselves away from their busy lives long enough to attend. Aaron didn’t think they completely appreciated what a wonderful, warm, intelligent, funny woman they’d given to the world in Clancy, but he was fine with that.

It meant she was all for him, which was just how he liked it.

Walking importantly at the other side of Clancy and holding her hand was Daisy, dressed in yellow and carrying a basket of matching roses.

The music swelled and the celebrant and registrar, both ladies with neat navy suits and benevolent expressions, stepped forward to greet the bride. Clancy beamed at Daisy as they neared where everybody waited and whispered, ‘I have to take a step forward now, remember.’

‘And I have to stay behind you and be quiet,’ Daisy whispered back.

Unlinking herself from both Daisy and her father, Clancy moved to Aaron’s side without waiting for any formal, dated gesture of being ‘given away’. She took Aaron’s hand instead, at the same time mouthing ‘You OK?’ at Lee. Beside Lee, a well-brushed Nelson, wearing a black bow tie on his collar, wagged his tail, giving a tiny whine. Lee had him on a short lead to prevent him from jumping up at Clancy’s wedding dress.

Lee, who now agreed that Aaron had got the best cousin, grinned and whispered, ‘Glad you could turn up.’

Aaron laughed softly and gave his little bro a playful nudge, appreciating that he’d made the effort to joke and smile. They all knew that somewhere amongst the guests lurked Alice, who’d left Genevieve picking grapes in Italy to fly home. No one had thought it would be a good idea to invite Alice to be a bridesmaid, but Clancy hadn’t been able to exclude her altogether. Happily, Lee was seeing a woman called Elaina, seated alongside Yvonne and Fergus. Elaina worked in an amusement arcade in Hunstanton and had a little boy in Daisy’s class at school. She’d transformed Lee into a much happier man than he’d been in the Alice years.