“Would you like a macaroon, Sophie?” she asks politely, seemingly unperturbed by the strange turn the conversation has taken.
“Oh, no. I’m fine, thank you. Would you like one?”
“Not for the moment, thank you.”
“Here’s the tea,” Leslie announces, coming into the room with a smart black and gold teapot, matching teacups, and matching saucers on a tray. “Does everyone take milk?”
I breathe a sigh of relief that she’s back. I clearly cannot be trusted to speak any sense around the marchioness on my own. As I take a cup of tea from Leslie, I give myself an internal pep talk.
I can handle anything. I have always been able to handle anything. There is no need to lose my head just because I’m in front of someone famous. I need to treat her like I would any other prospective client. I can do this. I can absolutely do this.
I think.
“So, here we are,” Leslie begins, sitting down next to her friend. “We may as well get started. As I mentioned to you, Victoria, Sophie offers a very discreet and efficient professional-bridesmaid service. She guided Bella with all her decisions, helped her with any issues that arose throughout the process, and was able to oversee everything. She was a great support to her.” She turns her attention to me. “I’m very grateful to you, Sophie.”
“Oh! It was a pleasure,” I say enthusiastically, blushing.
“When you mentioned your…situation,Victoria, I thought Sophie might be able to help.” Leslie pauses, picking up her teacup and taking a sip. “No one who came to the wedding was aware that Sophie was a professional bridesmaid. They all think she’s a real friend of Bella’s.”
“How intriguing,” Lady Meade says. “I’ve never heard of someone being a professional bridesmaid before.”
“Neither had I before I became one.” I laugh nervously. “But here I am!”
“Why don’t you fill Sophie in on everything and we can see if she fits the bill?” Leslie suggests.
“Good idea.” The marchioness clears her throat, her expression turning serious. “It is of the utmost importance that this meeting and all future meetings are completely confidential. You may be aware, Miss Breeze, that there has been some press interest in my daughter’s engagement, and should it get out that I have consulted a professional bridesmaid… Well, I’d like to keep everything as private as possible.”
I swallow the lump in my throat.
“Should I feel you’re up to the task,” she continues, “and should you be inclined to accept the challenge of guiding my daughter in organizing her wedding, you’ll be asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement. Awful, I know, but sadly necessary. Are you comfortable with that?”
“No problem,” I squeak.
“Good. Right, then.” She takes a deep breath. “My daughter, Cordelia, is engaged to be married to Jonathan Farlow. The wedding will be in May.”
“May,” I repeat. “As in May 2022?”
“Yes. Would that be difficult?”
“No! No, of course not. That’s totally doable. Eight months.Pleeeeeeentyof time. How many guests are you thinking?”
“Roughly four hundred. Maximum four hundred and fifty.” She gives Leslie a knowing look. “There are a few cousins I’m hoping to miss off the list.”
Leslie nods in understanding.
“Four hundred and fifty guests,” I croak, a smile fixed on my face. “Lovely.”
God, my palms are even clammier than they were when I was watching Andy Murray play the Wimbledon final. Eight months to plan a wedding this big? Is shenuts?
Play it cool, Sophie. Play. It. Cool.
“The wedding will be at our house in Derbyshire and, to be honest with you, Sophie, most of the logistics I will be overseeing myself. I’ve never considered hiring a wedding planner for Cordelia. They tend to take over and I don’t like the idea of being told what will happen in my own home. But I’m hoping to find someone to help with the small details, the personal touches that make a wedding unique and special.” She hesitates. “And then there’s the matter of Cordelia.”
“Like Bella, she wants to be in charge of her own wedding,” Leslie jumps in.
“That’s understandable, and exactly why I started my business,” I assure them. “As a professional bridesmaid, I’m merely there to aid the bride in producing her vision for the day and be a helping hand to her. I’m not there to take control, but rather help the bridefeelin control.”
Lady Meade looks pleased.
