Lily bit her tongue at the question rising in her chest. As if sensing the direction of her thoughts, Annabelle stilled and sadly shook her head. Henry hadn’t returned.

‘Is the—’

‘That had better not be a question about the wedding menu!’ Annabelle cut in.

‘I just—’ Lily tried again and nearly jumped when Annabelle slammed her hand down on the clean metal benches.

‘Chefs, are we prepped for today?’ she called out to the small army behind her.

‘Yes, chef,’ they all immediately shouted.

‘Are the cakes iced and decorated?’

‘Yes, chef.’

‘Is there going to be a single thing wrong with any dish we present today?’

‘No, chef.’

Lily couldn’t help but smile.

‘Good,’ Annabelle said, satisfied. ‘Now, you, Lily, are banned from the kitchen.’

‘But—’

‘Banned! Do I make myself clear?’

‘Yes, chef,’ Lily dutifully replied, not missing the twinkle in Annabelle’s eyes removing any possible sting to her words.

Lily made her way up the staircase that had been decorated with wreaths of ivy and baby’s breath, a long, beautiful length of silk winding around the banister. Her eyes widened in wonder. Uniformed staff paced through the building with purpose and industry, and it began to feel real. Victoria was getting married and Lily’s heart began to fill with happiness.

She knocked gently on the door to the suite that had been assigned to the bridal party. Oliver and the groomsmen had spent the night in a nearby hotel and would arrive about half an hour before the ceremony. Victoria had stayed the night at home with her parents, as had Malie, and, picking Zoe up from Marrow’s Rest this morning, they had come here so they could all get ready together. Checking her watch – Lily realized the photographer would be arriving soon.

The door swept open and she found herself yanked over the threshold into … chaos.

Malie was lying on the large sofa of the living area, eyes wide with something horribly like panic, and Zoe’s mouth was pulled into a visual representation of the word ‘eek’. Clothes were thrown around the room, bed covers in a mess, steam from a recently used shower was wafting into the room. Victoria looked as if she were about to tear her hair out.

‘What—’

‘I’m going to kill her,’ Victoria shouted. ‘Kill her!’

‘Who?’ Lily demanded, looking at Malie and Zoe, who were looking at Lily as if she needed to fix whatever was going on before Victoria was arrested and hauled away for murder.

‘My cousin! She told her daughter she could be a flower girl.’

‘What?’

‘It was the only way she could get her in the car apparently. She’s a little—’

‘Child,’ Lily interjected before Victoria could say anything further. ‘Really? Is that it?’