Just a Family Affair by Veronica Henry

through, but as Henry was only four and a half he got away with it. Georgie was walking round the kitchen with Connie balanced on her feet, and Ginny was bouncing Percy up and down on her knee. Kitty and Sasha had arrived, and were bubbling over with excitement at Patrick and Mandy’s announcement.
    ‘Can we be bridesmaids?’ demanded Sasha. ‘Because we’re almost related. I mean, Mum is practically married to Mandy’s dad. Which makes us almost sisters. And twin bridesmaids - hey, how cool would that be?’
    ‘For heaven’s sake, Sasha,’ protested Ginny. ‘I don’t suppose Patrick and Mandy have given any thought to bridesmaids yet. And even if they have, I don’t suppose you and Kitty are top of their list. There’s Sophie and Georgina for a start.’
    ‘No way!’ protested Georgina, who had been a bridesmaid when James and Caroline got married. ‘Sorry, Caroline, no offence. But first and last time. I can’t cope with the responsibility. ’
    Caroline had come back into the room and claimed one of the comfy chairs by the Aga.
    ‘Quite,’ drawled Caroline. ‘Anyway, it would probably be terribly bad luck. Having a bridesmaid who’d already attended at a wedding that was doomed to failure.’
    ‘I think I’ll put the kettle on,’ said Lucy quickly. ‘I’m sure everyone’s gasping for a cup of tea.’
    Mandy turned to Kitty.
    ‘Actually, Kitty,’ said Mandy, ‘I did want to ask you a favour. Will you do the dress?’
    Kitty’s mouth dropped open. Mandy was always in the latest gear. She was always going off to Selfridges in Birmingham and coming back with Juicy Couture and Maharishi. Kitty was at the local college doing fashion design, and although she specialized in catwalk knock-offs for all her friends, she didn’t think Mandy would take her attempts at not-so-haute-couture seriously.
    ‘Do you mean it?’
    ‘Yes. I want a one-off. A total original. And you’ve got such great ideas.’
    Kitty was overwhelmed. ‘Mandy - I’d love to. But if you change your mind, I understand. I thought you’d go for a real designer.’
    Mandy shook her head.
    ‘Why line their pockets? I want all my friends and family to be as closely involved as possible. And everything else will be local.’
    ‘Just tell me you’re not going to get that awful Fleur Gibson to do the flowers.’ Sasha, who always said what everyone else was thinking, had got herself a Saturday job at Twig, the florist in Eldenbury, and had lasted precisely half a day before locking horns with the notoriously difficult owner and flouncing out.
    Mandy made a face. ‘She is good.’
    This was true. Fleur, or to be more precise the nineteen-year-old genius she kept locked in the back room, had a wonderful knack with arrangements.
    ‘She’s a bloody menace.’ Everyone looked surprised. Lucy never said anything nasty about anyone. ‘She’s not happy unless she thinks every man in the room fancies her. Which, of course, they do.’
    ‘Actually, I don’t,’ Mickey interjected. ‘She’s my worst nightmare. Clingy, manipulative, dangerous.’
    ‘She’s always reminded me of Kay Oakley.’ James swirled his wine round in his glass casually as he spoke.
    There was an awkward silence.
    ‘Kay wasn’t that bad,’ said Lucy stoutly. ‘I always quite liked her.’
    Which, given it was Kay that Mickey had had an affair with, was pretty loyal. But Lucy knew that James was just stirring, because he hadn’t liked being reprimanded, and she wasn’t having any of it. Bringing up the past when they were all intent on looking to the future was totally out of order.
    ‘Anyway,’ she said, trying to steer away from the subjects, ‘I think it’s up to Mandy to choose. Where are you having the reception?’
    Patrick and Mandy looked at each other.
    ‘I don’t know,’ Patrick admitted. ‘We only thought of it this morning.’
    ‘I know it’s traditional to have it at the bride’s home, but our garden at Kiplington isn’t really big