‘Aha,’ smiled Janine. Now she’d really have something to tell the others at lunchtime. She untied the dogs and headed home, powered by the forbidden delight of seeing someone else’s life falling apart while your own was going averagely well.

Sophie was busy photocopying a large shot of the château to send to Nicky’s grandmother, the cake maker.

‘Look at it,’ she said to her mother. ‘It really does look like something out of Disney. She’ll have no trouble finding someone online who’ll tell her exactly how to make the cake. That’s what I love about the internet, it’s such a community.’

‘A community of people who don’t actually know each other,’ commented Jo.

‘OK, sourpuss, what’s the matter with you?’

Jo grinned. ‘You know me too well. A message from Bill and Maureen, Nicky’s dad and stepmother, asking if they can stay in the château.’

‘And you don’t think Ronnie will be happy?’

‘I don’t think Ronnie will be happy at all, but Bill is paying for the whole show so I don’t see how they can say no.’

‘And Nicky will have to be the one to decide,’ Sophie concluded. ‘Eek. Poor girl. That’s really tough.’

Five minutes later, her phone rang. It was Ronnie. ‘Have you heard from Bill at all?’ she demanded, without even saying hello.

‘Yes, as a matter of fact, we have.’

‘Asking to stay at the château?’

‘Yes,’ Jo replied in as neutral a voice as she could.

‘Well, obviously they can’t.’

‘Is that what Nicky thinks too?’

‘I haven’t asked her.’

‘Don’t you think you should?’ Jo suggested firmly. ‘After all, it is her wedding.’

The answer came via Nicky’s WhatsApp: Yes. My dad and stepmother can stay at the château. End of story. Nicky.

Jo and Sophie exchanged a look.

‘Don’t you love a wedding?’ Sophie laughed as she dropped her head into her hands.

David hardly noticed that the hotel he’d booked himself into was both small and shabby. His overwhelming sense was one of relief.

Staying with Suzi had felt as if he had an exotic cat permanently camped on his chest and it was stopping him breathing. ‘And I’m allergic to cats!’ he kept telling Suzi in his mind, but she wouldn’t listen.

He unpacked his bag and sat on the bed. He’d really screwed things up. Suzi wasn’t a bad person, just entirely different to him. And OK, Steph didn’t tell him he was wonderful all the time – but plenty of people had to put up with a lot worse than that.

He stared out of the window at the dusty car park. There was no way he could expect her to take him back, but he felt he owed her one thing, at least: to save Fleur-de-Lis.