‘But before I bang on about Ian, I have to talk about the other love of my life, my first wife – my Minnie.’ Everyone cheered. Minnie blushed and covered her face with a napkin. ‘Minnie, who has been my best friend since we met at summer camp when we were fifteen. The second I saw her on a bench eating the Penguin biscuit out of her packed lunch at nine o’clock in the morning, I knew we were going to be friends.’

Minnie lowered the napkin and shrugged as people laughed at her.

‘Minnie, who has been on so many adventures with me – to India with suspicious luggage … ’ Leila gave Minnie a wink and left a pause long enough to have Minnie worried she was about to launch into the Rampant Rabbit story in front of both sets of parents. ‘Adventures with pies – so many pies; adventures with men, I’m sorry to say so, Ian, but there were a few before you.’ Ian played along and gave a comical scowl. ‘But the biggest adventure of all has simply been being your friend.’ Leila turned back to Minnie with a tear in her eye. ‘I know there’s nothing you wouldn’t do for me. This is the woman who I called three days ago in tears, explaining that our wedding venue had been flooded. She only went and volunteered to cater the whole thing here in her brand-spanking-new kitchen, before she’d even worked out how to turn on the ridiculously high-tech ovens.’

Everyone cheered and clapped, there were whoops of ‘go Minnie!’ from around the table.

‘She saved the day, for someone else – as she always does. And I hope you’ll take this the right way,’ Leila looked pensive for a moment, gazing slightly off focus into her champagne glass, ‘if I steal a Cooper family adage to say – all this, these wonderful people here today, this amazing new business, this would never have happened to a Quinn Cooper. Some things are all Minnie, and I wouldn’t have you any other way.’

‘To Minnie!’ everyone cheered, raising their glasses high in the air.

*

Alan turned out to be surprisingly adept at the accordion. After dinner, he launched into a traditional Irish wedding dance and everyone helped push the tables back to make room for dancing. Mrs Mentis pulled out her harmonica to accompany him and a few guests started clapping along to the beat.

‘We do have a professional band waiting to play,’ Fleur said irritably, cocking her head at Minnie and then pouting in Alan’s direction. Clearly she was not a fan of accordion music. ‘I had to call in some serious favours to get this band in from Zurich. I don’t think you realise what a big deal it is for Green Marmite to play a private gig.’

‘Fleur, I need to hear more about your new business,’ said Minnie, putting an arm around her shoulder. ‘How is it going?’