‘Shame your parents couldn’t be here, Emily,’ Amanda says, swinging her legs round so she is sitting up. Her hair and make-up are perfect as always, and I haven’t seen her even pick up a mascara wand since she got here. ‘We were looking forward to meeting them.’

‘They live in Florida,’ I say, trying not to let Amanda’s words get to me, not today. Amanda made a few comments the previous evening as we had dinner together, mentioning Rupert and Caro’s wedding a couple of times as she got more and more drunk, but I refused to react. ‘Unfortunately, they just couldn’t make it over. They had already booked a cruise.’ I had sent my mother and – Jim? Jack? I couldn’t remember his name – the clipping of my engagement from The Times but hadn’t heard anything back. I had no idea if my mother was on a cruise or not, although chances were, she was. But I didn’t want to confess that to Rupert’s family, so it was just easier to tell a white lie.

‘Oh, gosh. So, they booked this cruise before you even met Rupert then?’ Sadie says, her eyes widening.

I turn my gaze back to the mirror under the pretence of checking my lipstick, and pretend I haven’t heard Sadie’s comment, my eyes flicking towards Amanda’s reflection in the glass. I think back to the image of myself in the street in Brighton, fear written all over my face, and I shake it away. This is supposed to be the happiest day of my life.

‘Em, you should probably think about getting into your dress. Shall I give you a hand?’ Sadie takes one last sip of champagne and places her empty glass on the bureau, as Amanda gets up and stretches.

‘I need to get dressed. I’ll be next door if you need me. Emily, I’ll see you at the church.’ She stalks away, her legs even longer than usual in her tiny hotel dressing gown. I say nothing, but watch her leave, feeling myself exhale as the door closes behind her.

‘Now.’ Keen to dissipate the tension that thickens the air, Sadie bustles over to the wardrobe to where my dress hangs – the dress it has taken us hours to decide on. It’s a simple, elegant Grecian style dress that would be better suited to a beach wedding – at least that’s what I thought at first glance, but Sadie was adamant I should try it on – and I fell in love with it as soon as the silky fabric pooled over my body. ‘Let’s get you into this dress. You’re going to look amazing – Rupert won’t know what hit him.’