‘Thank you, sweetie,’ said Vanessa. ‘That’s very kind.’
‘Only I can’t help if the play is on because I’m being a fairy,’ Letty went on.
‘You are,’ said Lizzie, ‘and I must get on with your costume.’
‘Will I have wings?’ asked Letty.
Meg saw Lizzie’s slightly agonised expression at the prospect of having to make wings as well as a dress. ‘I don’t think Titania – she’s the Queen of the Fairies – has wings, so you may not have them,’ she said. ‘It wouldn’t do to have something that she hasn’t got.’
Letty’s face fell, but only a little bit. She cheered up when Louise appeared a few moments later.
‘You’re up early!’ said Louise. ‘Couldn’t you sleep?’
‘I’m early because it’s the day of the play, of course,’ said Meg. ‘I probably woke Nessa, however.’
‘I wasn’t sleeping anyway,’ said Vanessa.
‘And I’m up early because Letty woke up,’ said Lizzie.
‘OK,’ said Louise. ‘I’m afraid I’ve got bad news for you all. Alexandra telephoned last night and she doesn’t think they’re going to be able to make the play. She has car problems. But she’ll come as soon as she can. She hopes to get here in a couple of days.’
‘Oh,’ said Meg, suddenly feeling a little flat.
‘That is a shame,’ said Lizzie. ‘It means I may not see her.’
‘I’m sure she’d go and visit you at home,’ said Meg.
‘Yes, of course she would,’ said Lizzie, putting on a smile.
‘Right,’ said Louise. ‘I’m now going to make you all more tea, and then Letty and I are going to pick flowers for Ambrosine. Do you need to have yourclothes on to do that, or will you be all right in your dressing gown and slippers?’
Lizzie opened her mouth, possibly to volunteer an opinion, but her daughter forestalled her. ‘I’ll be all right in my dressing gown and slippers.’
When the flower team had gone to find secateurs and buckets, Lizzie said, ‘I love my daughter very much, but I do wish she didn’t wake up so early, especially now.’ She looked at her friends a little shyly. ‘I’m pregnant again.’
‘Oh, Lizzie!’ said Meg. ‘That’s wonderful!’
‘We’re delighted, of course, but it does mean I’m dreadfully tired all the time.’
‘Will you manage being a wardrobe mistress? Making Letty a costume? You haven’t got long.’
‘It’ll take me minutes! The company have given me a lovely bit of crystal nylon. I don’t even have to hem it! She’ll look just like a real fairy.’
‘And we all know what they look like,’ said Meg.
‘Of course we do!’ said Lizzie. ‘I think Louise has been distracted from the tea. Shall I make some more?’
‘You sit down,’ said Meg firmly. ‘I’ll make it. And then, scrambled eggs? I can just do it for us. Justin said he’d do breakfast with Susan.’
‘He’s very dashing, isn’t he?’ said Lizzie.
Meg blushed. ‘I suppose so,’ she mumbled.
‘He’s a dish!’ said Vanessa. ‘Almost as gorgeous as—’ She paused and gulped.
‘Simon,’ said Lizzie quietly.
‘I’ve burnt my boats, haven’t I?’ said Vanessa. ‘He’ll never speak to me again. He must hate me now.Mummy said I’ve practically left him standing at the altar.’
