And she decided that she’d feel better about the whole thing if she controlled the one thing she actually could control: her hair. On hearing this, Sarah, who’d come to see why she hadn’t been at the meal, bringing a sandwich with her, went to find some straighteners. When she brought them, she insisted on staying to do Laura’s hair for her.

‘I’m not a hairdresser,’ Sarah explained, gathering up a strand of Laura’s hair, ‘but I have seen lots of brides getting their hair done. It’s a shame I didn’t book Bron. She’s my hairdresser friend I’ve worked with a lot. I just didn’t think of it.’

‘If I didn’t have mad hair it wouldn’t be a problem. I don’t usually think about it much myself—’

‘But this is a big occasion. You want to look your best. It’s natural.’

Sarah was getting on quite well with the hair straighteners. Laura sat quietly for a while, enjoying being looked after for once. It was strangely comforting. Then she said, ‘What do you think I should wear?’

‘You looked lovely in what you wore last night, unless you want Dermot to see you in something different.’ She frowned. ‘Not that he would have seen much of it.’

‘I can’t care what Dermot sees me in!’ Laura’s anxiety turned this into a bit of a shriek. Hearing herself she added, ‘I do hope that didn’t come out as if I cared what he thinks.’

Sarah laughed soothingly, taking up another lock of Laura’s hair. ‘No, it just came out as if you want to look professional for the audience, how Dermot feels about it is neither here nor there.’

‘That’s excellent! That’s just what I meant. How did you know?’

‘Oh, I spent a lot of time kidding myself about my feelings too,’ Sarah went on. ‘Now, are you going to clip your hair back? Or just let it hang?’

‘I think a clip.’ Laura scooped up a hank of carefully straightened hair and held it up. ‘What do you think?’

‘You look about twelve, but adorable. Are you going to wear make-up?’

‘A bit. Some mascara. Anything else always ends up under my eyes in seconds. Will that be enough, do you think?’

‘And some lipstick.’ Sarah supervised the clip, the mascara and the lipstick. ‘There, now you look at least fourteen.’ She paused. ‘Have you got any notes? Questions?’

‘Mm.’ She picked up her sheet of A4 and noticed it shaking. ‘I need a file to put this in.’

Sarah noticed it too and smiled reassuringly. ‘I’ll give you one. And do you want me to drive you to the theatre? Or will you travel with Dermot?’

Laura’s mouth went dry at the thought of travelling with Dermot. ‘Oh no. I’d rather go with you.’