Her eye went to the hook of his trousers. He only had one suit, he'd told her, and it came from a charity shop. But it was a very good suit and he'd looked delightful in it. Now she wanted to see how delightful he'd look out of it. She couldn't seem to help herself.

She allowed her hand to drift down his chest to his stomach, but although she wanted to, she didn't let it go any lower.

Why didn't he wake up? She could make him, she supposed, but she didn't really want to do that. He might say, 'What on earth do you think you're doing?’

She sighed, suddenly feeling tired and despondent. She lay down again and then, without letting herself acknowledge what she was doing, she laid her head on his chest and put her hand just underneath it. Soothed by his warmth and his smell, her eyes closed and she fell asleep again.

She woke up a short time later in a panic. Why was her head on a man's chest? Who was he? She knew it wasn't Roger but it took her brain a few frantic seconds to remember where she was and what she'd done.

She froze in horror. What on earth had she been thinking of? She'd practically undressed him! She'd have to get away. If he found her there he'd think she was a total slapper! If she could only slide out of his bed and go back to the party, he need never know she'd been there. It would have been all right, she realised, if she hadn't undone his shirt. If she'd just had a nap next to him she could have just told him she needed somewhere to sleep. Why oh why did she let her lust get the better of her?

Very carefully and slowly, she retracted her hand, but it had only moved an inch or so before it was gripped. Praying that James was still asleep and was only holding on from some reflex action, she tugged a bit harder. But she couldn't release herself. James was awake.

‘Let me have my hand back!' she hissed.

'No. Why?’

He seemed perfectly relaxed about the situation, unlike Bron, who was beside herself with embarrassment.

‘Because I want to get up and I obviously can't leave without my hand!'

‘What was it doing there, anyway?' He was holding it more gently now. 'Your hand, I mean.'

‘I… I was just having a nap – my bed is covered in glass if you remember – and must have put my hand on your chest in my sleep.' Reflex actions might be her best excuse.

He shook his head. 'Not buying it. Why is my shirt undone?'

‘I have no idea!' Bron tugged at her hand again, longing to escape from this humiliation.

‘Yes you have. You unbuttoned it!’

Bron was blushing too much to look at him. 'No! I didn't!’

James raised himself on one arm so he was now looking down at her. 'I know perfectly well that when I lay down my shirt was fully buttoned. I only intended to have a few moments' kip – I only kicked my shoes off at the last minute. You undid my buttons.’

There seemed to be nothing she could say to get her out of this dreadful situation. Her only relief was that she hadn't touched his trousers – although she had thought about it.

‘You fancy me, don't you?' James went on relentlessly.

`No-'

‘You may as well admit it. I caught you red-handed.’

She sighed. She could hardly deny it. 'OK, so hang me! I do – did – do fancy you a little bit. I'm a perfectly normal woman, after all-’

She didn't get to say any more for a while, which was probably just as well. He turned towards her and his mouth came down on hers and she accepted her fate as a total slapper. It felt very nice indeed.

Quite a bit later she said, 'You must fancy me too, then.’

James laughed. 'Of course I do, you ninny! Why would you doubt it?'

‘Because you've never done anything about it! I kept sending you signals and you just didn't pick them up!’

James sighed now. 'Well, I wasn't sure. I really didn't want to make a mistake. I've been there before and it would have been so awkward for you if I was wrong. You'd have moved out of one bad relationship only to discover the man next door had a major crush on you.'

‘That would have been quite a nice thought,' said Bron. 'Tell me, would you have ever made a move on me if I hadn't practically got into your bed?'

‘Oh yes. Any time now I would have been asking you to dance and then kissing you.' – Bron sighed. What had just taken place was a little bit more than kissing. 'So why wait so long?'

‘I only just found out for sure that you did really fancy me.'

‘What? What do you mean?’

‘Vanessa told me.’

Bron took the pillow and put it over her head. 'What?’

‘When she told me that I had to go with you to this wedding she told me in no uncertain terms that you fancied me and that I'd be a fool not to snap you up. I think she thought I wouldn't work it out for myself '

‘You didn't,' mumbled Bron, still under the pillow. 'Vanessa knew when I first came to work for her I'd just broken up a long-term relationship. She probably thought she needed to help us along.’

Bron mumbled some more.

‘Come out from under there.' He confiscated the pillow.

'I'm so embarrassed!'

‘I really don't know why. By the way, Vanessa says, when we're ready to move in together, she'll let us have the flat above the old stables. Much more space for us, and she can rent out both our houses.'

‘Oh, she really is the limit!' Bron laughed. 'Mind you, it's very kind of her to do that. Not that I'll be ready to move in with you for ages,' she added haughtily, trying to snatch back some pride.

‘Why is that?’

James had a soft, low voice and he asked this question very close to her ear. Bron found herself sighing instead of blushing and there was no more conversation for a while.

Somehow they got themselves back to the party. Bron ⁱnsisted. She was still blushing inside at her brazenness.

She really didn't want her friends putting two and two ^together and working out what had gone on.

Of course, as soon as she saw Sarah she realised it would have been better to stay put. One glance from her put Sarah in full possession of all the facts.

‘Oh Bron,' she said, kissing her cheek. 'And James! All loved-up – how wonderful!'

‘Is it that obvious?' pleaded Bron.

"Fraid so.' Sarah kissed James too, and Bron wondered if she was beginning to lose her iron grip on events. 'I'm a very lucky man,' said James. 'Now, come and dance,' he said to Bron, and took her hand.

Sarah was very pleased to see Bron and James looking so happy. While true love was definitely not something she'd experienced, she was coming round to the fact that it did work for others. Elsa and Laurence were waltzing round the ballroom looking like a couple on a greetings card. She sighed deeply and pushed Hugo out of her mind. At that very moment he appeared, almost as if she had conjured him up.

‘Are you planning to work all night?' he asked. 'Carrie's gone; everything is fine. You could knock off now.'

‘While there are still so many people here I feel I must hang around to help clear up.'

‘Well, come and have a drink with me. I've taken a million pictures and I'm shattered.’

It was so unlike Hugo to sound tired that Sarah, weakened by her own fatigue and the temptation of putting her feet up, for a little while at least, agreed and she followed him until they reached the empty kitchen. Signs of the wedding were everywhere. Crockery that had unexpectedly been commandeered at the last minute -bedroom jugs that had been needed for water, wicker trugs for bread, almost anything that had been used for flowers – had found its way back to the kitchen and now littered every surface.

Automatically, Sarah went to the butler's sink and started to fill it.

‘Don't you dare wash up, come and sit with me,' ordered Hugo. 'Here, have some of this. It's special.’