Then she came to some photographs of the girl – Sarah felt she couldn't really be more than a year out of her teens – herself. Here Electra was half naked, her flawless back and toned arms making her look like an idealised piece of marble. They were very intimate. There were lots of her, taken in a meadow behind which presided a huge stately home Sarah felt she should have recognised. She was sure it must be where Electra had been brought up.

Electra came up again and handed Sarah a cup of coffee. 'Here, thought you might like this. I thought I recognised you. You're the woman in the photograph.’

As she took the cup it occurred to Sarah that it might have been coincidence that made Electra appear at just the moment she was looking at her photos, but maybe not.

‘Oh golly, look at me!' Electra peered at her image. 'You don't think I look remotely fat, do you?’

As it was possible Kate Moss would look fat next to her, Sarah could only say, 'No.'

‘I do work out a lot. Look at those abs!’

Sarah's attention was more caught by the tiny, perfect spheres that were Electra's breasts, actually.

‘Who, I ask you, would swap that fabulous figure for squealing kids!' Electra laughed. 'I know, I know, everyone wants babies these days, like they were some fashion accessory, but I'd rather have a really fit bod.'

‘Well, you don't have to think about having babies for years and years,' said Sarah, feeling like someone's grandmother.

‘I know, but I've already decided. Kiddywinks: fine in a photo but otherwise, not for me.’

Sarah was about to ask if she'd discussed it with Hugo, who, as far as she could tell, was good with kiddywinks, and might want some of his own. But as it was really none of her business, and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer anyway, she shut it again. 'You may feel differently in a few years,' she said instead.

Electra made a face. 'That's what everyone says, but I won't change my mind. I love my career too much. And I love travelling. Might even move to New York. They've got a fabulous art scene over there. Now, if you've finished with Hugo, come and see this work. I think it's amazing!’

Ingesting the cup of very strong black coffee – something she rarely, if ever, did – helped Sarah get through. She managed to nod and smile at Electra's intense enthusiasm for the work in the gallery, all the while wondering what Hugo saw in her. But then she told herself off. Electra was beautiful, enthusiastic and obviously bright, and she most probably had hidden depths.

She was relieved when her phone rang. She found a quiet corner, and managed to be quite calm when Mandy said, 'Sarah, honey? You'll be very glad to know that Carrie's made up her mind about the bridesmaids. She wants four and she wants them to have dresses very like her own.'

‘And have we decided on which design she likes best?' Sarah had her fingers crossed for Elsa who was getting frantic.

‘Not yet, but I will try and encourage her to soon. She thinks the sight of her and four little attendants will be very pretty.'

‘Well, that's something, thank you for telling me. I'll get on to Elsa straight away.’

Sarah disconnected. She felt it was time she left but she probably ought to say goodbye to Electra first, it would seem a bit rude just to disappear. She walked over to her. 'Electra, it's been great, it really has. Lovely meeting you and really wonderful having a personal tour of the show, but I've got to go.' She shook Electra's hand and walked away, glad to be out in the fresh air.

She rang Elsa in the taxi that she'd asked to take her to Paddington, rather than wrestle with the tube again. She was feeling jumpy and tired at the same time. That had been something of an ordeal. What with the strong coffee, her photograph and meeting Electra, of all people, she really needed a lie-down.

Elsa took the news calmly. 'That's OK. Even if she wants them to be just like hers, they won't want boned bodices, it would be child abuse. I've already got in touch with my woman. She's coming round for a chat sometime. She's brilliant at beading.'

‘Oh good,' said Sarah, sighing. 'I'm really glad that it's all OK.'

‘Are you OK, Sarah? You sound a little tense.'

‘Fine. Just being in London, busy day, all these people, traffic and noise, you know,' said Sarah, glad that Elsa couldn't see her and realise just how strange she felt.

‘OK,' said Sarah quickly, knowing she had a short window of Lily's attention to get the wording of the invitations right. 'Mr and Mrs Gerald Stratford…'

‘That sounds weird!'

‘It's how it's always done. We want traditional, don't we?'

‘But she's not my mother!'

‘No,' said Sarah, 'but she's Dad's wife and they're contributing a fair bit, you mustn't be ungrateful. She was really thrilled about the baby.'

‘Mm, yes, she was. Which is more than Dirk's mother will be.' Lily sighed. 'Maybe she's not such a bad old thing.’

Sarah typed the next few lines on her computer. 'Come and choose a font. There are a few that are very traditional.’

Lily came and leant on Sarah's shoulder. 'Oh, I want that one.'

‘No,' Sarah snapped. 'Your in-laws would never wear it. You can have an Edwardian script or, if you must, Blackadder ITC, but that's a bit quirky for the older generation.'

‘OK, you do it.' Lily moved to stand in front of Sarah's full-length mirror and looked at her stomach. 'Honestly, it doesn't really show I'm pregnant.’

Sarah didn't look up from what she was doing. 'Not now it doesn't, but it will by August. Trust me. Or even if it doesn't, you can't take the chance. You have to choose a sensible style.’

Sarah was keeping hold of her patience with difficulty. When Lily had turned up at ten that morning she'd decided to set the whole day aside to get her sorted out. Lily had sworn they'd do everything that Sarah said they must, but it was now two o'clock and all they'd done was go out for lunch. Lily refused to focus.

‘It's so boring having to be sensible all the time!' Lily wailed.

Sarah exhaled. Her patience was about to desert her, especially with so much still to do for Carrie's wedding -the one she was actually being paid to organise. 'I know, sweetie, and you can have a lovely, gorgeous, fairy-tale dress, as long as it's within budget, but it can't be tight-fitting. Now let's get the invitations finished at least.'

‘OK.' Lily flopped down on the sofa and crossed her legs. She was still enviably slim and Sarah was beginning to wonder if perhaps she should indulge her in the Spanish-style dress with full, flamenco-style train and ruffles that her heart was currently set on – provided the Wedding Fairy produced the five grand required to pay for it.

‘You've got the card?’

Sarah nodded. 'These invites should have been out weeks ago.'

‘It's OK, Dirk's mother has rung up everyone and said the invitations are on their way. Are you sure we don't need reply sections?'

‘Absolutely. Sometimes tradition works out cheaper. You don't need favours on the tables either. Although do have a photographer, just for a few formal shots, or you're risking not having any photos at all. Unless you know Dirk's Uncle Joby is really good?’

Lily shook her head. 'I think he may be a bit of a lush, actually.'

‘OK, well, I'll make sure that he doesn't get near any alcohol before he's done a few pictures outside the church. The others aren't so important. Dirk's mother will need a lovely one of you both to put in a silver frame on top of her grand piano.’

Lily's jaw dropped. 'How did you know she's got photos in silver frames on her grand piano? How did you even know she's got a grand piano? That's amazing.’

Sarah laughed. 'I was just guessing, but it's nice to be right.'