by Jane Linfoot
I’m warming to the idea of leaving the flat. ‘Pecan and crackle toffee cake?’ Let’s face it, that’s the ultimate. ‘And you definitely aren’t looking fat, Pops, however much you’re complaining you’ve grown out of all your clothes.’
Despite the minor hold up, we reach the polished foyer of the hotel in time for the start. The room where the reception is being held is bathed in pink light, and most guests are already seated around wide circular tables, underneath glitzy chandeliers. As Poppy guides us through to ours, I’m puzzled to see Jess and Bart sitting with Rafe, Immie, Chas, and Jules.
I whisper in her ear as we get there. ‘Is there a mistake in the seating? Just because we all come from Rose Hill, doesn’t mean we want to sit together.’ Let’s face it, we’re still daggers drawn when it comes to the awards.
Poppy laughs. ‘It’s fine. Jess has been building bridges.’
If this is the surprise, to be honest, it’s more of a shock. Although the conflicts at the table are less than they could be as we make our way through the three-course dinner, because Bart seems more preoccupied with checking his phone than with chatting. We’ve devoured our pâté, wolfed our chicken Valentino stuffed with mozzarella and red peppers, and everyone except Poppy has knocked back a lot of wine. We’re well into our key lime pie, when he finally puts his phone away.
As he heads off to schmooze the various sponsors, Jess leans across to us. ‘Don’t mind Bart, he’s a teensy bit preoccupied. But while he’s gone, just for the record …’ She narrows her eyes so far they’re almost shut. ‘The night Jules took photos, and Bart and I got stuck on the island, I was the one who let the boat go.’
‘No.’ As Immie, Poppy and I gasp, then exchange glances, our faces are screwing into frowns of disbelief.
Jess’s grin is wide. ‘It was a fast forward way of landing the man. All part of our fabulous plan. But I didn’t want you to think it was down to him.’ As timing goes, Jess’s is brilliant.
There’s no chance to ask any more, because the speeches begin and roll seamlessly through beginning with the different categories of tourist attractions, and hotel awards. As the compere finally gets to the section we’ve all been waiting for Bart slides back into his seat, and gives Jess a thumbs up.
The compere holds up the mike. ‘So now to the award for Cornwall’s Best Wedding Venue …’
Rafe and Poppy are clutching each other’s hands, Chas has his arm slung over Immie’s shoulder. We’re pursing our lips, and holding our breaths as the compere fumbles with a gold envelope.
Then as he says the words ‘And the award goes to Weddings at Daisy Hill Farm …’ we all erupt into the hugest cheer of the evening. As Poppy and Rafe wiggle their way to claim the shimmering crystal heart trophy the compere is holding aloft, Immie is roaring. And I’m screaming like a proverbial banshee, and crying at the same time, because I know how much anguish Rafe and Poppy have gone through during the last nine months. After photos and a thousand handshakes, as they make their way back towards us their eyes are shining.
‘Tossing toad arse, bleeding brilliant, woman … and man.’ Immie stops flapping her hands in front of her face, and hauls them into a hug. Then she passes them along to me for my squeeze, then I pass them on to Jess.
As the applause dies down, I can’t help noticing Bart’s still cheering, and he gets up to give Rafe an individual slap of congratulation on the shoulder. So, he’s not so sore about the Manor losing out, or else being in love has made him into a spectacular good sport.
As we all sit quietly cooing over the trophy, the compere begins again. ‘In fact there were so many high-quality entries in this category, the assessors decided to create an ultimate category, namely the Castle and Country House Wedding Venues.’
For once in her life Jess loses her cool, and her voice is all squeaky. ‘Which is where Bart comes in …’ She moves seamlessly into a loud whoop, that sounds most unlike herself.
As the compere pauses I take in Bart’s ear-to-ear beam, and I hiss at Poppy, ‘Did you know about this? Is this the surprise?’
She’s grinning as she mouths back. ‘Wait and see.’
‘And the winner in the super-category for Best Castle and Country House Wedding Venue, is …’ There’s another dramatic pause. ‘… Rose Hill Manor.’
‘Well done, Bart.’ We’re all yelling, and waving and cheering, and waiting for him to get up. But he’s just sitting there clapping along with us.
And then from nowhere, a tall slim figure in a tux hurries in through the door. As I take in the dark wavy hair and the gaunt face, I have to shut my eyes. Simply because I can’t believe what I’m seeing. It can’t be … Kip? When I look again, his face has creased into the biggest smile in the world, and those smoky eyes are crinkling straight at me.
As he comes within reach, he holds out his hand to me. ‘Come on, Water Lily. This one’s as much yours as it is mine.’ For a second he swoops in and kisses my cheek, then he’s pulled me to my feet, and we’re running towards the stage.
I’m crying so hard, I’m wiping tears and slobber all over Kip’s lapels as he wedges me under his arm to accept his award, but no-one seems to mind or notice.
His voice is low in my ear as he crushes me into a bear hug. ‘It’s so good to see you, Water Lily, hell, I’ve missed you.’ It’s so much of a blur, I barely seem to be moving my legs, but he’s swept me off my feet, and carried me back to the table.
‘My, you must be strong,’ I say, as he deftly drops me back onto my seat.
He laughs. ‘All without dinner too. I almost didn’t make it because the flight was delayed.’
As Bart takes the shimmering crystal heart in his hands he’s laughing too. ‘I spent the entire meal tracking you with my app. Apologies for that everyone.’ He dips in to his pocket. ‘Hanky, Lily?’
My face couldn’t be any wetter if I’d been dipped in the lake. I take the hanky, and scrub my cheeks. I’m still sniffing and gulping, but I have to speak. ‘I’m so happy to see you, Kip.’ I’m wailing at Poppy. ‘It’s the best surprise ever.’
Poppy smiles, and does an eyebrow wiggle. ‘That’s not quite everything.’
I give her an appalled frown. ‘You’re not having twins? Is that the rest?’
She closes her eyes. ‘You tell her Kip.’
‘Well I hope you’ll be pleased, Water Lily …’ He hesitates, as if he’s nervous. ‘I’m coming back for good. With the baby on the way, Rafe and Poppy need help with the Daisy Hill Farm weddings, and they’ve offered me the job of wedding manager at the farm. And together we’ll look after the six super-weddings at the Manor too. How cool is that?’
‘Pure genius. You get to do your dream job after all.’ I can’t help flapping my hands with excitement. We’ve spent so long doing it with Nicole, I think it’s catching. ‘That’s so brilliant.’ After he’s given me another hug and as big a snog as is decent given we’re in a reception with chandeliers I frown, and laugh at Poppy. ‘You do know about his terrible taste in music?’
Poppy smiles back. ‘He has mentioned it. Although Rafe thought it wasn’t so bad.’
Scanning the circle of smiling faces around the table, as they watch my reaction there’s not even a mild trace of surprise. I turn on them. ‘So you all knew, and no-one said a word?’
Immie gives a loud guffaw. ‘You know what the Rose Hill grape vine’s like. The whole village is in on it.’
Chas joins in with an incredulous head shake. ‘Everyone down the Goose and Duck have known for months. It’s a dead cert you and Kip will be moving up to Heavenly Heights the minute Barbara and David find a suitable place to move on to. And in the meantime, Rafe’s got a cottage with your names on.’
‘Jeez, thanks, Rafe,’ I say. How embarrassing is this? ‘I don’t even know if I want to live at Heavenly Heights. Have you seen the parallelograms on the wallpaper there?’ But when I catch Kip’s eye I can see he doesn’t mind at all.
Rafe gives a smug smile. ‘You could have a cot
tage at the farm. But it’s one of those times when there’s no point fighting the will of the village.’
Poppy’s laughing too. ‘The moment you caught Sam’s bouquet, you were done for.’
I screw up my face. ‘But that wasn’t me. It was Jess.’
This time it’s Bart’s turn to beam. ‘And we all know how that worked out.’
Jess is protesting loudly. ‘You definitely caught those flowers first, Lily. My luck is rebound luck.’ Her laugh is husky. ‘Not that I’m implying Bart’s inferior, but he is a bit of a pirate.’ Although as he’s a pirate with a country house with a lake, not to mention properties in Antigua and Klosters, it could be worse.
Kip’s nodding. ‘I was there when that bouquet got caught. Sorry, but the flowers hit you first, Water Lily. Given they came at you like a rocket, I’d say your single days had to be numbered.’ He’s squeezing my fingers tight, and he comes in close to my ear. ‘Fancy a walk on the beach, so I can say “hello” properly?’
I grin, because it’s November, and the wind’s blowing a howler around the bay. And yet even if it’s freezing, and guaranteed to turn my hair to corkscrews in three seconds flat, I can’t think of anything I’d like better. ‘We could sit out and watch the dawn breaking? For old time’s sake.’
Kip looks alarmed. ‘Hell no. When I’ve booked us a double room upstairs, with a queen-sized bed, there’s no way we’re sitting on the sand like singles.’ He gives me another nudge. ‘Your mum wouldn’t hear of it.’
Which just about covers everything except for one massive outstanding question.
Chapter 51
Tuesday, 21st November
On the beach: Rising tides and last words
By the time we’ve come down a hundred steps from the hotel and we’re stomping along the sand, battling into a head wind, I’ve got Kip’s parka zipped on top of my own coat. I’m so happy to see him, but I’m wearing so many layers, groping’s simply not practical. What’s more the sand’s blowing horizontally into every snog.
‘My teeth are gritty,’ I’m yelling into the wind, from the beach by the far end of the bay, watching the lights around the coast twinkle in the blackness.
‘Mine too. We won’t stay long.’ Kip shouts, as he opens his overcoat and pulls me inside it. ‘I wanted to bring you here to tell you I love you, that’s all. I think I already loved you that other night on the beach, I just didn’t recognise the feeling. And I wanted to tell you the day in the ballroom when we were dancing, but you ran away from me.’
As I shiver against him, and listen to the sound of the waves skidding up the beach, my knees turn to hot syrup. ‘I love you too, Kip. It’s so weird. Just like in all the songs, isn’t it?’ As soon as I say it, and remember the kind of racket he likes, I rethink that. ‘Maybe not the songs you listen to. But now I’m in love, I know I wasn’t ever before.’ I don’t even need to mention last time. It’s simply not important any more.
‘It’s a first for me too. But you know that already. Although I did fall a tiny bit in love with a girl I pulled out of the lake a long, long time ago. But she never knew.’
Hearing that brings a lump into my throat. ‘I had the strangest sense I already knew you when you dragged me out of the pond on Valentine’s Day. And I suppose I did. But about my question. You said you never wanted to get close to anyone after your mum died.’
There’s a low rumble in his throat. ‘I never intended to. But you were there every day, and I fell in love with you because I couldn’t not. That day in the ballroom, when you ran I wanted to come after you. I didn’t because I had nothing to offer you. But the second I went away I knew I couldn’t live my life without you.’
And there’s that too. ‘I’m so sorry the way things happened. I never dreamed Bart would send you to Antigua.’
He laughs. ‘It worked out. The pain of being apart from you totally made me see without any doubt that I had to be with you. If Poppy and Rafe hadn’t offered me the job at the farm, I’d have had to find some other way of getting back. It’s non-negotiable. You know that don’t you? And as from now, the details aren’t important, so long as we’re together.’
I grin. ‘You need to watch out Cake-face, or you’ll end up with migraine wallpaper, and gnomes on the porch.’
He laughs back. ‘I won’t mind. I’m very adaptable. Apart from wanting to go back to the hotel. To take you to bed. Like right now would be good?’
As a wave comes in, we skip up the sand. ‘Lucky for you the tide’s coming in. So, we’re definitely watching the dawn come up from the balcony, Kipling.’ We both gaze upwards at the black velvet sky, pricked with stars.
‘Whatever you say, Water Lily.’ He laughs, then he turns and pulls me up the beach.
Acknowledgements
A big thank you …
To my wonderful editor Charlotte Ledger, who is talented, brilliant, supportive and lovely – all at the same time. This series belongs to both of us. And I love it more with every book. To Kimberley Young and the team at HarperCollins for three fabulous covers and all round expertise and support. To my lovely agent, Amanda Preston, for being so generous with her time and wisdom, and adding so much support and inspiration.
To Debbie Johnson and Zara Stoneley, and my brilliant writing friends across the world. To the fabulous book bloggers, who spread the word.
A special shout out and thank you to the most fabulous wedding-related people we’ve met over the last couple of years … To Emily Bridal of Sheffield, whose shop and dresses are simply fab. Emily came up with the most amazing wedding dresses for both my girls. I literally get tears in my eyes every time I think of how beautiful she made them as brides. To Jenn Edwards and Natalie Manlove, and the Jenn Edwards Wedding Hair and Make-up Team, who travel nationwide, making women into the most beautiful versions of themselves. Jenn and Natty gave me hair and make-up that made me feel like Sera on the day of Alice’s wedding. I so love it when real life and fiction get mixed up. To Melanie Brunt from Drop Dead Gorgeous Sheffield for fab nail and beauty treatments and expertise. I’ll remember my bright pink gel nails forever. Thanks, and huge admiration go to brave and super-talented photographers Jon Dennis from S6 Photography, Sally from Sally T Photography, and Hannah from CameraHannah. Coming on to the sweet part, thanks to Ashleigh Marsh at Oh No! Delicious, for cakes so astonishing they take your breath away. And thanks to amazing cake baker, Caroline Tranter for bringing the cakes in the books to life, and for letting us use her fab pictures. To High Street Bride guru, Samantha Birch for sharing her insider knowledge. To Losehill House Hotel, near Edale, and West Mill, in Derby, for two wedding days that could not have been more wonderful. Two very different venues, both spectacular, each perfect in their own way.
Big hugs, to India and Richard, for their amazing wedding, which is where this series began. And more hugs and good luck to Anna and Jamie whose very own Sequins and Snowflakes wedding in February was the happiest of days … complete with surprise snow the day before that almost sent this mother-of-the-bride over the edge! To my entire family, for cheering me on all the way. To my wonderful dad, and my lovely mum, who has been so courageous since she’s been on her own. To Max for being the man about our house and bringing me cake. To Caroline for making the cake. And big love to my own hero, Phil … You know all the down sides of living with a writer and still hang on in there every day. Thank you for never letting me give up.
Favourite Summer Cocktails from Brides by the Sea
In case you’d like to try a taste of Brides by the Sea at home, it’s become a bit of a tradition to include a few recipes at the end of the book. So here’s how to make some of the fab drinks featured in . Don’t stress too much about the quantities – at Brides by the Sea it’s much more about sloshing it in and having a good time. As Jess would say, LET THE FUN BEGIN …
IDEAS FOR PIMPING YOUR PROSECCO …
RASPBERRY PROSECCO BELLINI
This low-calorie Prosecco Bellini is made with one part raspberry liq
ueur, a sprig of basil, and four parts premium Prosecco. Quantities depend on your choice of glass size.
Perfect served in champagne flutes. Add the Prosecco to the raspberry liqueur and watch the red liqueur float upwards. Fabulous with fresh raspberries floating on top.
FORAGERS’ FIZZ
This country-hedgerow cocktail is made using sloe gin, and Prosecco. Go easy on the gin, or you might end up accidentally falling in the village pond! Not something Jess would ever say… One part sloe gin to four parts Prosecco is a good mix to begin with but slosh it in according to your taste. Floating blackberries add a fitting rustic finish.
Looks lovely in pretty glasses. If you’re feeling extra fancy, use a mini peg to fix some hedgerow flowers to the outside of the glass edge to decorate.
HIBISCUS PROSECCO
For the most simple version of this, simply place a hibiscus flower in the bottom of a glass along with one teaspoon of the syrup the flower comes in and top up with Prosecco. Completely delish, totally summery, with a touch of the exotic. Add a splash of vodka for an extra kick. To make it even prettier, choose pink Prosecco.
RASPBERRY BASIL AND LIMONCELLO PROSECCO
For this totally delectable drink, take a dash of limoncello, a splash of vodka (optional) and top up with Prosecco. To finish, float basil leaves, lemon wedges and raspberries. Great served in highball glasses. Garnish with a lemon wheel on the glass edge if you’re in a fancy mood. Stir in a teaspoon of fine sugar if you’re feeling extra sweet.
AND NOW FOR SOME FUN ROMANTIC COCKTAILS …
… as served at the Valentine’s Day wedding party in the book. As with every Brides by the Sea drink, if you love the taste, they’re fab all year round too.
KISS ON THE LIPS COCKTAIL
Easy going and fruity, this cocktail is great to help you stay hydrated. For an alcohol-free version, use peach cordial instead of the schnapps.