‘But do you know what direction you’re heading in?’ said David. ‘Let’s have a look at the map. Lexi? Find the AA book and let’s make a quick plan.’
Alexandra went to the car and came back with a yellow book that was filled with maps. David quickly looked up the village where Simon lived. ‘It’s not that near,’ he said. ‘You won’t have time to get lost. Can anyone find me a bit of paper?’
He jotted down a list of places to aim for. ‘OK, which of you is the navigator? Who’s going to read the map?’
‘Not me,’ said Vanessa. ‘I feel sick if I try to read in cars, even a map.’
‘Me too,’ said Meg.
‘OK,’ said Lizzie. ‘I’ll do it. I usually do, don’t I?’ She took the paper. ‘David, you do know I love you?’
‘Even though you’re marrying someone else?’ said David, laughing.
‘I really hope I am,’ she said. ‘We just need to make sure of the bridegroom’s intentions.’
‘If it will make any difference, I think the chances of Hugo standing you up at the altar are nil, but if running all over the country to make sure will make you happy, there’s no harm in it. As long as you’re not back late.’
Once they were in the car and had set off, Lizzie looked at her piece of paper more carefully. ‘There are a lot of places on here. I hope it’s not too far away. We need to set off back home again by eleven at the latest.’
‘It can’t be that far, or Hugo would have found somewhere nearer to stay,’ said Alexandra.
‘Not necessarily,’ said Vanessa. ‘He’d want to stay with Simon, his best friend and his best man.’
‘And Patsy and Tim’s house is out of bounds as it’s got me staying in it,’ said Lizzie. ‘And his parents,’ she added gloomily.
‘And a good hotel is out of the question?’ said Alexandra.
‘There’s only one remotely near enough and it’s probably full,’ said Lizzie. ‘My parents, David, and Mrs Brinklow, a friend of the family my mother is most desperate to impress, are all staying there. Anyway, we’re going where we’re going.’
They had to stop in a little market town to use the public conveniences and for Lizzie to wonderif she shouldn’t just trust Hugo and ask Alexandra to head for home.
‘I don’t think it’s much further,’ said Alexandra, when Lizzie dithered aloud about the wisdom of this venture. ‘I spotted a signpost to the village. We must be nearly there.’ Alexandra glanced up at the town-hall clock and then looked at her watch. ‘But have a think.’
Lizzie was finding it difficult to get her brain to work. ‘The only thing I can think about is how utterly ghastly it would be if Hugo didn’t turn up. I think I really need to know that he’s going to.’
‘Then on we go!’ said Alexandra.
‘I think it must be that house,’ said Lizzie, looking at a small Georgian house behind a hedge. It had taken them longer than they would have liked to find it.
‘It’s nice, isn’t it?’ said Vanessa. ‘Shall we knock at the door?’
‘I’m not going in,’ said Lizzie.
Her companions screamed at her so loudly it was surprising people didn’t come rushing from their houses to see who was being murdered. ‘I can’t!’ said Lizzie. ‘I really need to know, but I can’t actually ask him.’
‘Is it because it’s bad luck to see the groom before you see him in church?’ asked Vanessa, who was a little bit more sympathetic than Alexandra was.
‘No!’ said Lizzie. ‘I just – I mean – supposing he says he can’t go through with it? I’ll die.’
‘All right,’ said Alexandra. ‘We’ll go in and ask him. Come on, Ness.’
‘Oh, OK. Do I look all right?’ Vanessa asked Lizzie.
‘Why on earth does that matter?’ asked Alexandra. ‘I’m going.’
Vanessa, anxious lest Alexandra ensnare the best man before she had a chance to, hastened after her. Meg followed.
Lizzie sat in the car, her thoughts in turmoil. The bride in her thought this was crazy, and she should be at Patsy’s house lying down with slices of cucumber on her eyes, filing her nails and pushing down her cuticles with an orange stick, as recommended in all the bridal magazines. The woman in her desperately needed reassurance that she wasn’t making a huge mistake. She wanted to marry Hugo, so very much, but she wantedhimto want to also. She wanted him to be happy. She didn’t want to trap him in a marriage that would make him unhappy. Recently she’d been thinking that it wouldn’t … but she didn’t know any more. She’d just come to the conclusion that the combination of being pregnant and the maelstrom of the wedding preparations had made her a little bit crazy, when the driver’s side door opened and a man she’d never met leant in.
