Haruto was shaking his head. “They’re literally dancing around maypoles.”
I felt a buzz of electricity in my gut. My producer’s instinct was telling me we had something very special on our hands.
“Film it,” I said. “Film it all. Whatever happens today, I wanteverythingon tape. We need to be everywhere.”
A couple of hours later, I had cleared the last of the horse floats out of the carriage court to make way for the arrival of my parents and the North London Jaguar Car Club. I had also set up my camera on a tripod, framing the shot to capture the convoy’s arrival. I pressed the button on my headset.
“Haruto, is the drone up?”
“Affirmative.”
A glint of something sparkled on the horizon, catching my eye. I looked up to see the first of the Jags coming down the drive. My father’s Jag. My stomach was churning like my nerves were holding a rave. I thought I might barf. I hit record right as someone slapped my arse.
“You’re so sexy in that headset.”
I turned to see William. He winked. He was wearing a green tweed suit, hair neatly combed down into place under a matching flat cap, looking every bit the lord of the manor. I’d never seen him look so… aristocratic. I laughed. He frowned.
“Why are you dressed like that?”
“We’re putting on a show, aren’t we?”
“You’re going to be in a suit of armour later. How many ridiculous outfits have you got planned for this video?”
“I meant a show for your parents. This is what they’re expecting, isn’t it?”
I looked at him. “Oh my God, you’re nervous.”
“Of course I’m nervous, they’re your parents.” At least we were in this together.
“So, you’ve dressed up like Toad of Toad Hall to impress them? What’s next? Are you planning to lend my father your best driving goggles? Have you hired a Labrador for the occasion?”
Bramley emerged from the house dressed in full Buckford livery, carrying a tray of sherry glasses to offer around.
I couldn’t contain my laughter.
“Stop it,” William said. “I’m trying to make a good impression, all right?”
“You look like a walking advertisement for the Tory party.” I kissed him on the cheek. The convoy was nearly at the carriage court, and I could hear the drone buzzing overhead. My hands were shaking now. I really hoped Haruto and Thandiwe were getting all this. “You better take your place, my lord. Youdon’tneed to impress them, you numpty. They were already fawning over you before they met you. I’m the one who’s meant to be impressing them today, remember?”
There was a cackle of laughter from high above the carriage court, and I looked up to see Gran and Bunny leaning out a second-storey gabled window, still dressed like aged nymphs, waving down at us. William waved back.
“You say that,” he said out of the side of his mouth. “But at some point, quite soon, your parents are going to realise my mother and my godmother have got your grandmother royally stoned.”
“What?”
“And it might take all the tweedy respectability we can muster to get ourselves out of that one.”
William took his place on Buckford Hall’s steps and—head reeling, at a loss what else to do—I turned my camera around to capture him waving and smiling as the cars parked up.
My parents climbed out of my father’s 1967 Series 1 E-Type roadster. They, too, were in tweed. “Oh, for Christ’s sake,” I muttered. My father took off his leather driving gloves and strode over to meet William. Mother came around the car and joined him. They bowed and curtsied.
“No, please, don’t do that,” I heard William say. “We don’t stand on ceremony here.”
I couldn’t see their faces, but I could imagine my parents’ horror. Ceremony was what they were all about. “You’re practically family,” William added—and my parents’ backs straightened. Well played, my lord. My parents hadn’t even spotted me. My whole body was tingling with nerves. I shoved my hands in my pockets to still them, but they were shaking so bad I looked like I was having a wank, so I removed them again.
“How was the drive up, Sir Edward?”
“Good clear run. Noticed the handbrake’s a bit dicky again when we stopped at the Northampton services, but nothing material.”
