‘The very same,’ Fern confirmed. ‘She’s logged every dress she’s ever made, and according to her records, the wedding dress belonged to my great-aunt Matilda.’
Amelia and Clemmie exchanged looks, their expressions now brimming with excitement.
‘Who was the groom?’ Clemmie asked, practically bouncing in her seat.
‘Nathaniel Loring.’
‘The composer?’ Amelia questioned.
Fern nodded. ‘That’s him.’
‘You’re kidding!’ Clemmie breathed. ‘But I thought Matilda was single?’
‘She was.’ Fern shook her head slowly. ‘The wedding was planned for Christmas Eve, right here on Puffin Island, but it was called off that very morning.’
‘Why was it cancelled?’ Amelia asked.
‘That’s what I don’t know. I was hoping someone on the island might.’
Amelia and Clemmie answered in unison. ‘Betty!’
They laughed, but there was a gleam in their eyes.
‘My granny knowseverything,’ Clemmie said with a grin, glancing over her shoulder at the counter where Betty was chatting with a customer. The moment Betty finished ringing up the bill, Clemmie waved her over. ‘Granny!’
Betty bustled over, her face lighting up as she saw Fern. ‘How are you?’
‘All good, thank you. That lemon drizzle cake you dropped off? Incredible.’
Betty nodded her head proudly, then looked between the three women. ‘I take it there’s more to this chat than cake?’
‘Fern needs a little island intel,’ Clemmie said. ‘We thought you might be able to help.’
Betty arched a brow. ‘Intel on what?’
‘The wedding dress,’ Fern said. ‘It belonged to my great-aunt Matilda.’
Betty’s expression shifted. ‘Ah… did it? No one ever got to see the dress as it was the wedding that never was,’ she said almost wistfully.
‘You remember it?’ asked Clemmie.
‘I was a guest,’ Betty said with a nod. ‘It was Christmas Eve and the snow was falling… The island looked like something on a postcard. It was all so romantic… until it wasn’t.’
‘Aunt Matilda was really set to marry Nathaniel Loring?’ Fern asked.
‘She was.’
‘What happened?’ asked Clemmie. ‘Why didn’t they go through with it? Surely you must know.’
Betty shook her head slowly. ‘No one knew for sure, though there were rumours, of course.’
‘What kind of rumours?’ Fern pressed, remembering what Eliza had hinted at.
‘That Matilda might’ve had a fling,’ Betty said reluctantly. ‘But she was so head over heels for Nathaniel, I never quite believed it.’
‘Did they ever see each other again?’ Fern asked.
‘Not as far as I know,’ Betty replied. ‘I was actually thinking of them only this morning. There’s another article about Nathaniel in today’s newspaper.’
