"Good Lord," I said, wondering if "baroque" could describe a wedding cake. "How are they ever going to cut it?"

"Very carefully." The groom had come up behind us. We both hugged him and wished him every happiness.

"A beautiful wife and two daughters. How could I miss?"

He had also just added on Sister as a mother-in-law. But I smiled and agreed that he would be sublimely happy from this moment on.

Henry kissed each of us on the cheek. "Aunt Pat. Cousin Meg. Y'all get you some lunch now."

We assured him that we would, and watched him greeting other guests as he walked away.

"Yes, indeed," Meg Bryan said. "Henry's going to be fine."

It wasn't crowded at the buffet table yet because most of the guests were still concentrating on champagne. It's at parties like this that I most regret being allergic to alcohol. It would have been nice to let the bubbly add to the celebration. On the other hand, I enjoy the food more.

I was piling my plate with fruit, sliced turkey, little quiches, and various salads when Sister came up.

"I know you're anorexic, but would you please make an effort. This stuff cost me a fortune."

I just grinned. "Thanks, I will." I took another

quiche. "Did you get your problem solved?"

"Bonnie Blue had another pair in her purse. They're a little dark, but God knows you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. I told Bonnie Blue, I said, 'Bonnie Blue, I can't believe you're this organized.' Can you, Patricia Anne? Believe Bonnie Blue's that organized?"

"She's organized."

Mary Alice turned to Meg Bryan. "Are you getting some of everything? How about the tortellini salad?"

"I'm fine. Thanks."

"Fruit? How about a peach? God only knows where they came from in March, but I'm supporting some third-world country this month."

"No, thank-you," Meg smiled.

"Go mingle," I told Sister, "and count not the cost."

"Count not the cost? Are you crazy? I may have to get married again."

"There's no one here old enough."

Mary Alice frowned. "I cannot believe you said that, Patricia Anne." She started to walk away and turned. "Oh, by the way, Fred's out on the terrace tete-a-teting with some blonde."

"There's no such verb, Sister."

"Well, whatever you call it, he's doing it." This time she kept going.

Meg Bryan laughed. "You two sound like me and my sisters."

"How many do you have?"

"Four. I'm the oldest. Our family name was March, so there's Jo, Amy, Beth—" She noticed the look on my face and smiled. "Beth lives in Hawaii with her husband and three children. The rest of us are still in Fairhope."

I grinned. "You scared me for a minute."

"How do you think Beth's always felt? The third daughter is Trinity, though. Papa named her. I think he thought that would be the end of it, but Mama got right back to her plan."

"They're fine names."