Jules sat her down on her bed, made her some toast and dried her hair for her while she ate it, Nina flinching as the hot air blew over her inflamed scalp.

Jules said nothing, watching her carefully in the mirror, bewildered about what was going on. Secretly, she assumed Nina had been drinking last night, alone, had fallen over at least once, judging by the state of her knuckles, the disarray of the room. It wasn’t good for Nina being in this apartment alone, not when she was still grieving Sylvie and with her issues around her father. Jules swallowed at the reminder of being so close to losing her own. She’d paid up front for her room at Le Crillon but she’d stay here tonight with Nina.

She moved around and knelt in front of her. ‘I’m sorry you’re not feeling great, but we have to be there for Alice today. She’s in a bit of a flap already and Lulu’s not helping.’ She grimaced. ‘We’ll get you fixed up, you just need to be there. No one will notice if you’re not on form. Get through the service and once they’ve done the photos you can sneak off to have a lie-down in my room. Take it a few hours at a time, okay? I’ll be there with you.’ She reached down and hugged her, holding her tight, realising as she did that she needed this hug as much as Nina did. She and Lev were still on-off dating, had been for the last six years, but he seemed disinterested in Jules’s sadness over her father’s decline and in any event wasn’t much of a hugger. Jules needed someone to speak to but, as ever, she felt incapable of finding the right words.

*

Nina felt like she was in shock. Despite the ringing in her ears she knew Jules was right. She couldn’t ruin Alice’s day by not turning up. Hadn’t she done enough? She could get through a few hours at a time – minute by minute if necessary. Alice would be busy. She wouldn’t notice Nina’s demeanour, wouldn’t sense her broken heart, or the depth of her shame. But what would she do when she saw Ted? She’d have to avoid him. It was the only option.

In the taxi she turned her phone back on. Four text messages flooded through at once. Three from Jules:

WHERE ARE YOU?

ALICE IS FREAKING OUT.

I’M ON MY WAY OVER IN A TAXI.

And then a single text from Ted:

I’M SORRY.

*

Alice couldn’t put her finger on it, but something wasn’t right. The flowers had finally come together; the place settings were immaculate; the chandeliers gleamed; the ballroom felt laden with anticipation, a heady mix of polish, vanilla and rose; but she felt a sense of unease she couldn’t place. She’d felt sick all morning, her empty stomach swirling with acid, but was unable to eat anything.

‘I felt terrible on my wedding day too,’ the make-up artist chipped in.