‘James says we need rain. He was worrying about his greenhouses. Vanessa has promised she'll water everything while he's away but I'm not sure he trusts her.'

‘Will he be all right in the caravan? I didn't want to put him in here, with you. I told Fen things weren't at that stage yet.’

Bron made a face. 'He'd better make a move soon or Vanessa will sack him.' She chuckled. 'Or I'd better make a move soon or she'll sack me!'

‘Is she that bad? Anyway, you don't work for her, do you?'

‘No, it's just that she was very firm about it the other day. And she made him bring me, with all my trees. She's wonderfully bossy sometimes.' She explained to Sarah about Vanessa's little pep talk.

‘Mm, I remember her as a bride's mother. Blunt isn't the word for her.' Sarah smiled. 'Right, I'd better get on. Come up to the house when you're ready and I'll show you where you can start putting your cake together.’

Sarah walked back up to the house, mentally ticking off various items on her to-do list. She must find her clipboard and start ticking things off for real. She was glad Bron had arrived safely, with the cake in tow. It seemed a lifetime ago that she had arrived herself, eager to be shown around, to see how much of a transformation had gone on.

The dogs had milled about her ankles as Rupert kissed her.

‘So, did you get everything done?' she asked Fenella laughed. 'You'll have to see for yourself, but I think we've done a pretty good job. There are the occasional grot areas, but I'm sure we can hide them. We've worked pretty much non-stop at it.'

‘Oh, well done! Please, show me everything.'

‘Does that mean that you don't want coffee first?' asked Rupert, ever the host.

‘If you'd be a love and make it, we'll come and get it soon,' said Fenella.

‘The path up to the chapel looks amazing!' Sarah was very impressed. 'And it's wonderful being able to offer the whole package. People could have always got married first and then had their own ceremony here, but this is just perfect.'

‘The local vicar has been so helpful,' said Fenella. 'And his roof fund is doing quite well too!’

Sarah laughed.

‘Carrie and Rick had to visit the vicar at least twice,' Fenella went on.

‘Oh, it's Rick now, is it?' said Sarah, teasingly. 'You'll be on first-name terms with all the stars soon.'

‘I really hope so!' said Fenella. 'But thank goodness they stayed in a hotel. If she'd seen the state of this place she'd have thought it would never be ready in time. The security's going to be mega.'

‘Yes, and you're lucky this time, once Somerby gets on the venue map, which it will after it's starred in Celeb magazine, you'll be papped all the time.’

Fenella looked horrified. 'You are joking?'

‘Well, only a bit.'

‘You mean you're only a bit joking? Or that I'll only be papped a bit?'

‘Both! But as I told Carrie that day, the situation does make it easy for it to be kept under control.'

‘Oh, Lordy! Well, come and see the drawing room.’

It was beautiful. The blend of gorgeous parrot-strewn wallpaper and mural was complete, with trompe-l'oeil plants creeping over the cornices on to the ceiling. The walls had perspective, giving the impression that a garden of Eden extended into the hills. Sun and light, both real and fabricated, filled the room with gold.

Real palm trees stood in pots in the corner, adding to the exotic atmosphere. Garlands of flowers linked painted pillars and actual ones so realistically that Sarah almost expected an antelope to come out of the mural and put its nose into a vase of leaves that covered the fireplace.

‘Oh, Fenella!' exclaimed Sarah, her eyes wide as she took in all the detail. 'It's paradise! It's perfect!'

‘I did the painting myself,' said Fenella proudly. 'It's taken almost all the time since I last saw you. I had to help Rupert with the rest of the decorating, too, so I've had some long days.' She yawned and then laughed.

‘I'm so impressed. Now, show me the rest,' said Sarah.

‘Ah, well, this is the bit we couldn't get done,' said Fenella, indicating a corridor. 'I thought of hanging a sheet over the entrance, but it might look a bit as if we're still decorating,' she went on. 'We are, of course, but we don't want to advertise the fact.’

Sarah considered. 'Mm, tell you what, why don't we get some pots or jars or something and stick branches – big branches – in them. It'll look as if there's a wood in your house, put up a few fairy lights and people won't go down here. It'll fit in with the real/ fake theme and if you don't put up physical barriers people wander about all over the place, looking for the loo.’

Fenella's face took on a look of panic. 'I think that's a great idea, I really do, but I haven't time to do it. I'll just stick a notice up, "Trespassers Will be Prosecuted".’

Sarah laughed. 'But think how much funnier it would be if there was a wood here! Bron's friend James..

‘The one who's sleeping in the caravan?'

‘Yes. We'll ask him to do it. He's a gardener. Once he's helped Bron with the fake trees he can hack at real ones. Do we know where the cake is going to be yet?'

‘Here.' Fenella opened the door into the dining room.

‘Oh, wow!' said Sarah, thrilled. 'This is fantastic! You've created the most perfect space for the grand entrance!' She could now easily picture the long double row of fake trees, sparkling in the lights, leading to the wedding cake, bigger than the others, at the end of the row. 'You must have completely redecorated – there's nothing shabby about your chic now!'

‘It took us for ever,' said Fenella, tired at the memory of it all. 'We didn't give in and rent a scaffolding tower for two days and I was perched on the top of a ladder, which I really hate, having to go back down again every time my brush needed more paint.'

‘Couldn't you have hung the tin off the ladder or something?'

‘I could have if I'd had a proper paint kettle, but we just had these massive tins of white paint that I put a bit of colour into. Anyway, Rupert, who was rebuilding the pigsties – where Bron will be staying – came in and said it was bloody ridiculous. He went into town and came back with the tower. He'd only hired it so it had to go back but I wanted to keep it. So much better than those horrible ladders. We've still got loads of decorating to do, after all.'

‘You've done a fantastic job, Fen, I don't know how you did it in the time.'

‘By working all the hours God sends,' said Fenella.

‘It's been worth every second, really it has. And now it's done, you've got this amazing venue.’

Fenella nodded. 'It's what kept us going.' She sighed deeply. 'Do you really think we have to bother with the branches in jars thing?'

‘Yes,' said Sarah. 'I'll ask James when they arrive. He'll do it. And Elsa will be here soon too. She might have time to help him.’

Elsa arrived shortly after Bron and James and was shown the bedroom Fenella had allocated for Carrie so she had somewhere to use while she was in the house. She could leave her things there, have her make-up touched up and generally use it as a base. It would also be useful for the bridesmaids.

‘It's our bedroom, actually,' Fenella said wistfully. 'It's the only one currently with an en suite, so I had to give it up. We're a bit short of bedrooms that don't desperately need sorting out.'

‘It's beautiful!' said Elsa. 'And so huge! You could have a ball in here.'

‘Yes, it is a good size.'

‘It's about the same size as my workroom at home,' said Elsa, feeling the need to impress on Fenella just how massive this bedroom was, 'which is the entire floor of an old factory.'

‘Oh, that is quite big, isn't it?’

Elsa nodded. 'I'll go down and get my rail, then I'll start bringing up the dresses. When are the bridesmaids coming?'