Not as much as the flowers, Sophie thought, but kept it to herself. ‘You’re the first to arrive,’ she smiled. ‘And of course, the most important. Your mother’s due in an hour. And your sister and the bridesmaids will be here soon too.’ Sophie consulted her list. ‘Oh, and your dad and stepmother not long after that.’

‘Have you heard from Gran at all?’ Nicky asked anxiously. ‘No one could stop her driving here with the cake in her little Renault 5. What’s the point of having a French car, she said, if you don’t take it to France? She’s supposed to be here about two thirty.’

‘I expect she’ll be here soon,’ reassured Sophie, leading the way up the main staircase and along what seemed an endless corridor. ‘The bridal suite’s in the West Tower. I’m afraid it’s quite a long way.’

At last she opened the door to the tower, which was, in her view, a gorgeous combination of antique and modern, focused around a huge bed piled with velvet cushions. In one corner of the room was a Chinese screen painted with golden flowers, behind which stood a polished iron bath.

‘You can move the screen out of the way, if you prefer the bath in full view,’ explained Sophie.

‘No chance.’ Nicky produced a catlike smile. ‘I think it’s sexier like that, a little bit of mystery. Plus you can hide the tummy fat you were supposed to lose in a pre-wedding diet but didn’t!’ She looked round the room. ‘It really is perfect,’ she breathed. ‘Just what I fantasized about.’

Sophie, efficient as ever, handed her a sheet of paper. ‘Just a list of who’s arriving when, and what’s happening tonight. I won’t give you tomorrow’s – that runs to six pages and anyway it’s our job to just make everything wonderful! Now where’s that champagne?’

She handed Nicky a glass.

‘I got up really early to make the flight,’ explained Nicky. ‘I think I might just lie down for half an hour.’

‘Would you like me to wake you with a tea or coffee?’ offered Sophie. ‘One thing your phone still can’t do.’

‘That would be amazing. Or sooner if Gran arrives with the cake.’

‘I promise. And would you like me to hang up your dress? I promise I won’t look.’

One thing Sophie had learned from her study of weddings on Instagram, Pinterest and other châteaux’ websites was the vital nature of The Dress. No other element, possibly even the bridegroom, came anywhere near it in terms of importance.