Next time she saw him he’d returned to his table and been cornered by Amanda Louise who’d dragged up a seat and was leaning forward and talking intently, legs crossed and an elbow propped elegantly on one knee. She was an attractive woman, Hannah admitted to herself grudgingly as she checked on Nan, now happily occupied chatting to a cousin of Jeremy’s. One of Rob’s mates, a guy who owned the village garage, came up to shake Nico’s hand and Amanda Louise looked miffed.

Hannah’s attention was diverted when Maria scampered up with an adorable, pearly-toothed, wrinkle-nosed smile. ‘It’s our elephant,’ she announced.

Hannah giggled. ‘What is?’

Josie arrived breathlessly. ‘She means “it’s irrelevant”. She heard me say it and “it’s our elephant” is her version. Now she keeps saying it because it makes people laugh. Is there cake left on your table?’

As the three half-full tiers were at Hannah’s elbow Josie was obviously being polite but Hannah pretended surprise. ‘Why yes! What do you fancy?’

‘Elephant!’ suggested Maria.

Josie giggled. ‘There isn’t any elephant, silly. I think you’ll like this icing one. It looks like a mouse.’

‘Mouse.’ Maria nodded, clambering onto a chair in her white lacy tights.

Josie selected a custard tart and peeped at Hannah from the corner of her eye. ‘You know my dad, don’t you?’

‘Mydad,’ Maria pronounced, pointing a crumb-encrusted finger at Nico.

‘From when we were teenagers,’ Hannah agreed, selecting a chocolate brownie. ‘Rob, the groom, is my brother. Your dad was his best mate and used to come to our house. And his dad, Lars, is your granddad, right? I knew him too. He was lovely.’

‘What was Dad like?’ Josie looked fascinated over this ancient history.

Hannah dropped her voice so Nico couldn’t hear. ‘He was an amazing ice hockey player. Fast and crazy. We thought he’d play professionally.’

Josie looked faintly surprised. ‘Well, he doesn’t. He’s my dad.’

Their cakes disposed of, Josie lifted Maria off her chair, made an ineffectual attempt to clean her hands with the stiff wedding napkin then towed her across the polished floor, Maria squealing like a whistle.

Hannah glanced at Nico. Amanda Louise was still talking but Nico was watching the girls.

Then he looked over Amanda Louise’s shoulder at Hannah and smiled.

Hannah’s breath stopped in her throat.

Day had segued into evening and a function band on stage belted out popular tunes. Rob and Leesa were on their twentieth dance at least, faces alight, turning to talk to people but never quite breaking their embrace.