‘It's perfectly natural,' she said, meaning to be consoling if he was sad.

‘Oh yes. As long as the good times outweigh the bad.' Bron realised then that the good times hadn't done this for a while. There were bad times and there were OK times.

That was all. She hoped things were better for him. 'I'm sorry to have intruded,' he said.

‘Oh you haven't – not really. It's nice to have someone to chat to.' She regretted these words the moment they were out. Now he would know exactly how barren her relationship with Roger had become and she really hadn't intended to broadcast this fact.

‘It's a shame you didn't go to the wedding.'

‘I know. It was really kind of Mrs Lennox-Featherstone to ask me, but I had to get back.'

‘It was a very good do.' He smiled. 'Great food!'

‘So I heard. Elsa, the dressmaker, who ended up as one of the bridesmaids, told me all about it.’

He frowned. 'That's a bit odd, isn't it? Choosing your dressmaker to be your bridesmaid? Although if you really got on..

Bron chuckled as she tried to explain. 'It was a last-minute thing. The real bridesmaid dropped out and Elsa was made to stand in for her. She wasn't keen, I can tell you.’

James laughed. 'Well, she looked the part. Very pretty, I thought.'

‘Thank you! I mean, I think she looked pretty, but I'd done her hair for her so I can take some of the credit.’

‘So you're a hairdresser?’

Bron tried really hard not to get tense. 'Yes.'

‘Cool.’

Bron shot him a glance. Was he mocking her? It didn't really seem so but perhaps he was just hiding his feelings about it. 'I like it,' she said defiantly. And then her phone started to sing from her handbag.

‘Oh, excuse me. I'd better see who this is. Sarah!' she said a moment later. 'No, this is a perfect time to call.’

‘Carrie's in town.° This was the message that Sarah had passed on to Bron and Elsa via a few frantic phone calls. They were all going up on the train to London to meet her, quite early, in part so Elsa could go to a fabric shop. Bron was coming along for moral support and Sarah was going to try and persuade Carrie to use her. Not only would it make the whole adventure more fun, and put good work Bron's way, it would mean whoever did Carrie's hair would not be swooping in at the last minute, not yet a member of what was becoming known between them as the Wedding Team.

Sarah had put off calling Hugo to confirm that Carrie wanted to see his work and what time they were all due to meet at the hotel. If only she could be normal with him. It was all very well her wanting to keep their relationship professional – but could she be? Maybe she'd be lucky and get his answering machine.

But Hugo had answered right away – sounding as if he'd just got out of bed and Sarah panicked briefly in case she'd woken him up. But then she reminded herself that not only did he have come-to-bed eyes, but he had a been-in-bed voice too, unfortunately for her peace of mind.

‘Sarah,' he drawled. 'What can I do for you?’

When Sarah said 'What can I do for you?' she sounded brisk and businesslike. When Hugo said it he sounded as if he was offering sophisticated sexual techniques, possibly involving chocolate.

‘Sorry to ring on a Sunday night, Hugo,' she said, 'but I just want to make arrangements for our meeting with Carrie tomorrow. Have you any thoughts? We're meeting her at four.'

‘I can't make four, I'm afraid, but I could do six?'

‘I'm not sure that would fit in. I mean, I'd have to ring Mandy and see-'

‘Don't worry. Mandy and I are old friends. I'll ring her.' Well, this was one less thing for her to do, at least. 'Great. So, did you manage to find a venue?' Sarah strained to make this sound like a casual request. She really didn't want him to know how hard she'd been working to sort this problem for herself and failing miserably.

‘Ah – little hitch there, I'm afraid.’

A squeak of anguish escaped her but she managed not to reproach him for raising her hopes – just. 'Oh, fine. I'll find one myself. You don't need to worry about it,' she said, with more confidence than she felt.

‘Oh, I've found a venue and you'll love it. Not absolutely what anyone's expecting but really amazing. There's just a little matter of whether or not it's licensed for weddings.’

‘That's very tantalising.' She tried to sound cheery, as if this news weren't tearing her in all directions: first hope, then despair. Ending up relatively cool was difficult. 'Where is it? If it's in the far north, I can't have it. My sister's getting married on the same day. I'll have to box and cox.’

‘What?'

‘I'll have to run between weddings. I can't let my sister down and Carrie is my most prestigious client to date.' Sarah paused, aware that if she went on talking about it, the impossibility of the situation might make her cry.

‘Ah.’

Back under control, she said, 'So where might this perfect-yet-flawed church be?'

‘If it comes off it's in Herefordshire. I don't want to tell you more in case it doesn't.’

Herefordshire was at least in the same quarter of England, which was hopeful. 'Nothing more you can tell me? I'd quite like something to tell her. Or you haven't got pictures of it by any chance, have you?

‘Sorry, not of this venue, I'm afraid. I'm going to be showing her a range of my work but I'm avoiding churches and things because the place I have in mind is really a bit different and until I'm sure-’

Sarah interrupted him. 'You do know she wants traditional? Just like Ashlyn?'

‘People don't always know what they want until they see it. Trust me, Sarah.’

She sighed. She knew this was true but suspected Carrie might be different. She was a top Hollywood A-lister; compromise wouldn't be part of her life. 'You don't have to find the venue for me, Hugo.'

‘I did offer.'

‘I know, but it's my job. It's up to me to do it.'

‘Don't sound so downhearted, Sarah,' said Hugo. 'It will all work out. Things always do.’

Sarah hadn't realised her feelings were so apparent. Why didn't Hugo understand the urgency of the matter? Why was he so wretchedly laid-back all the time? 'Not weddings, Hugo. There are TV programmes based almost entirely on videos of wedding disasters; that's why people employ me, so they don't have to sell their horror stories to claw back some of the cost of their fiasco.’

Hugo was silent for a few moments. 'Why don't I come over and take you out for a late drink? You sound as if you need cheering up.’

Just for a second she allowed herself to consider it. The idea of drinking brandy, albeit only as friends now, with Hugo took her right back to Ashlyn's wedding. It had been lovely – too lovely. 'Thank you so much but I've got to be up at dawn and I've loads still to organise.’

After they had disconnected, she allowed herself two minutes' reminiscence about Ashlyn's wedding and then carried on with her phone calls. She must be very careful where Hugo was concerned. She'd made it clear there could be nothing between them, so perhaps she was being unfair to think he'd even dare risk asking her again, even if a part, a very tiny part, of her half wished he would. She really couldn't afford to be distracted. She had to focus on the job in hand. Her reputation depended on it.

Bron arrived on the platform just as the train pulled in. She had several carrier bags with her and gave the impression of a schoolgirl going on an outing.

‘So sorry,' she gasped to Sarah. 'I thought I had loads of time but then I couldn't find a parking space, and then one machine was out of order and I had to run all the way to the other one, and then back to the car.. In spite of her difficulties, she seemed very excited. 'It's so brilliant of you to swing it for me to come!'