Olivia tutted beneath her breath. ‘I really wanted to watch them get married,’ she said to Ted as they hurried down the corridor. ‘I hope we’re not too late for the vows.’

They opened the door as quietly as they could and sat at the back of the room. Olivia was pleased to learn that they hadn’t missed the exchanging of vows, and when it was Jess’s turn to repeat the registrar’s words she caught sight of Olivia and Ted and gave them a small acknowledging wave before nudging Dana, who did the same. An old woman at the front of the room turned in her wheelchair and glared accusingly at Olivia and Ted for causing a distraction.

Ted waited until the vows were complete before hissing, ‘Don’t think that old bat was too pleased to see us.’

Olivia grimaced. ‘I’m not entirely sure I’m pleased to see her. I’m fairly certain she could be one of Dad’s old associates because I seem to recognise her from somewhere.’

‘She certainly looks miserable enough.’ He stifled a chuckle. ‘Mind she doesn’t run over your foot with her wheelchair! I daresay that thing weighs a ton.’

But Olivia wasn’t in the mood for laughing. She was very keen for her first meeting with the girls to go well, and even though they knew from what Olivia had told them that her father was a nasty piece of work, she didn’t relish the idea of having a lecture in front of a room full of strangers about her father’s shenanigans.

With the ceremony at an end, they waited for Jess and Tom, and Dana and Lenny to walk down the aisle followed by their closest friends and family, one of whom was the old woman in her wheelchair, with a middle-aged woman pushing her. As she wheeled past Olivia and Ted she cast them a disapproving glance but said nothing, much to Olivia’s relief.

Ted jerked his head in the direction of the old lady. ‘Do you know where you recognise her from yet?’

Olivia slid her arm through Ted’s. ‘I think so, and I’d like to know where before she recognises me. The last thing I need her doing is harping on about how my father diddled her in some way or other.’

‘Diddled!’ Ted sniggered. ‘Is that what they’re calling it nowadays?’

Olivia slapped him lightly across the arm. ‘Don’t be so crude!’

She was interrupted by Jess, who was calling for her and Ted to join them outside the building. ‘I’m so pleased you could come to the wedding. We’re having a bit of a tea at Lyons café as a kind of wedding breakfast, I hope you can join us?’

Olivia nodded enthusiastically. ‘We’d love to, wouldn’t we, Ted?’

Ted agreed heartily.

Jess smiled brightly. ‘Good, it’ll give us a chance to have a real chat.’ She gazed into Olivia’s eyes. A faint crease marked her brow, and she excused herself and joined her sister.