‘Actually,’ Sophie pretended to look superior, ‘some of us have already started! It’s staggering, if you ask me, that their wedding business exists at all when they hardly even use social media. That’s how every bride plans her wedding now and their website’s something out of the Middle Ages!’

‘Did they have websites in the Middle Ages?’ Steph enquired, trying not to laugh.

‘Of course they did,’ David suggested, looking a bit more cheerful than he had lately. ‘Haven’t you heard of Ye Olde Instagramme?’

‘Anyway,’ Sophie insisted, ‘we’re going to have to get a move on. The wedding season’s well underway and since people plan their weddings so far in advance, we’ll miss out altogether unless we get some soon. And we definitely need to feature some real weddings on social media.’

‘Can’t we mock some up?’ Jo suggested. ‘Soph, you’d make a beautiful bride and maybe Jean-Christophe would pretend to be a groom!’

For some reason, Sophie blushed and looked appalled. ‘I’m not sure he’d agree to that – after all, he’s a chef!’

‘Maybe we should get him to mock up some food, then. And I’ve always fancied myself as a bit of a florist.’

‘Madame Suzi is excellent at designing interiors,’ Guillaume interjected, his face all innocence.

Meredith stared at him, wondering if he was being deliberately malicious, but he simply beamed out his usual good-natured benevolence. Maybe he hadn’t noticed what was going on between Suzi and David. Or maybe it was just that he was French.

‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea,’ David blurted, reddening.

‘Why ever not?’ Steph asked. ‘Oh, you mean because she’s such a frightful predatory woman?’

Meredith’s eyes widened. Did Steph know too? And yet everything suggested she had no idea her husband was in any way involved with Suzi. ‘Anyway –’ she assumed her CEO tone – ‘let’s all try and think up some good ideas to get our wedding season off with a bang. Sophie, why don’t you concentrate on social media; Jo, could you think about some kind of promotional video?’ Jo nodded, conscious again of a slight resentment at the way Meredith took over so completely.

Meredith, supremely unaware of any ruffled feathers, bulldozed blithely on. ‘Steph, I know you’re not directly involved, but would you have time to think about local caterers? Meanwhile I’ll look after dealing with Héloise and the duchess and all the moving arrangements so we can take possession as soon as possible.’