‘No idea,’ Marion replied, her eyes just a little too large and round. Lily was about to ask what was going on, when her mother pressed ahead. ‘Lily,’ she seemed to hesitate. ‘Have you spoken to Victoria about the wedding?’

‘What about it?’ Lily replied, unable to make eye contact.

‘That she can’t have it at the estate.’

Lily paused mid stride towards the kitchen at the back of the restaurant. ‘How do you know about that?!’

‘Sweetheart, he’s sent everyone home for the next four weeks and cancelled the bookings. It’s doesn’t take a rocket scientist …’

Lily turned to lean both hands on one of the tables.

Oh God, oh God.

‘Breathe, Lily.’

This couldn’t be happening. Not really. Her breath became short, her pulse riding loud in her ears. She was halfway towards a panic attack.

‘I don’t know what to do, Mum,’ she said, her eyes shut tight as if she could will it all away.

‘You just tell her, sweetheart. She’ll understand.’

‘I tried. Just now. But she’s so excited and so looking forward to it,’ she said miserably. ‘And of course she would understand. That’s what’s so awful about it! She was so happy, and dammit, it was what Blake wanted.’

She felt her mother’s palm on her back, sweeping gentle circles like she used to do when Lily was little.

‘Perhaps it’s for the best.’

‘How can you say that?’ Lily demanded, outraged.

‘I just … I think that perhaps you were putting a little too much focus on the wedding and making it perfect. It’s only natural of course, but—’

‘What? Why?’

‘Well, after your engagement—’

‘Don’t, Mum,’ Lily commanded, pushing up off the table and away from the soft comfort her mother was trying to offer. ‘Seriously. Don’t. That has nothing to do with this whatsoever.’

The little bell on the front door tinkled and Kate, Lily’s manager and all-round lifesaver, pushed through into the restaurant with a large, happy smile.

‘If you say so, darling,’ her mother replied finally.

‘I’ll call her tomorrow morning. I just … Tomorrow. I promise, Mum.’

‘Call who about what?’ Kate asked as she reached the counter.

‘Nothing,’ Lily replied, shaking her head trying to extricate herself from the difficult conversation.

‘Oh,’ Kate said sympathetically, cocking her head to the side. ‘Have you not told V about the wedding?’

‘Does everyone know?’ Lily demanded.

‘No, darling,’ her mother intoned at exactly the same time as Kate said, ‘Yup. Pretty much.’

Henry hadn’t meant to stay in the herb garden. He’d intended to return to the estate and read through the spec pitch for his and Ben’s latest app investment, but instead, he’d started to pluck at some of the weeds that had so offended Lily Atwell.