‘It’s the same colour as a stick of rock.’ Kimberley lifted the hat from its folds of tissue paper. ‘I don’t know what you’d call it.’

Frightening, Maddy thought, but Kimberley looked so delighted that she didn’t have the heart to say anything. As the hat began to appear from the box, Maddy closed her eyes in an act of complete cowardice.

‘There, Maddy,’ Kimberley enthused. ‘It’s as good as new. Try it on.’

Maddy opened one eye. ‘Well, maybe not with my leggings – oh!’

It was beautiful. Even to Maddy who wasn’t a hat person. It was huge brimmed, and made in bottle-green brocade. Huge, green ostrich feathers floated down like a veil all around the brim and a wide dark green velvet ribbon encircled the crown.

‘Will it suit?’ Kimberley anxiously gnawed her full lips. ‘I thought with your colouring …’

‘Kimberley, it’s perfect!’ Maddy hugged her. ‘Oh, let me try it on.’

Squinting at her reflection in the dusty mirror, Maddy grinned. She looked like Scarlett O’Hara. With the green dress it would look exquisite. Her abundant hair, usually so unruly, fell from beneath the brim in a profusion of curls.

Kimberley clasped her hands in rapture. ‘Oh, Maddy, you look lovely. Drew won’t be able to resist you.’

‘Dangerous ground, Kimberley.’ Maddy lifted the hat carefully from her hair and put it reverently back into its box. ‘Especially with Mrs Fitzgerald being in situ.’

Kimberley leaned against the bathroom door. ‘We’ve been friends ever since you came to the village, haven’t we? Oh, I know not best buddies like you and Fran, but good friends. I always disliked Peter Knightley. I found Drew Fitzgerald very attractive myself.’ She blushed. ‘I soon realised that his attention was drawn elsewhere. Look, I know it’s an absolute bugger that he’s got a wife, Maddy, but I really don’t think you should let that stand in your way. Life is too short not to grab happiness when it looms. And when it looms gorgeously like Drew Fitzgerald …’

Maddy hugged her again. ‘Oh, Kimberley. Thank you for understanding. It’s just that I can’t be brazen. I don’t want to be the other woman.’

‘We’ll just have to hope that Drew leaves her, then, won’t we?’ Kimberley headed towards the front door.

‘I don’t think that will happen somehow.’

‘It might – especially if you wear that hat. My mother swore by it. She said it never failed.’

What with the hat and the baby table, Maddy thought as she waved Kimberley goodbye, the folklore of Milton St John could have her married and pregnant pretty quickly – but not necessarily in that order.