The party was due to start and Gilly and William were waiting in the marquee, welcoming smiles at the ready.
‘Are you all right, Mum?’ asked Helena.
‘Yes, I just want to get started. I’ve got stage fright,’ she said.
‘Aunt Daphne and the others will be here any minute,’ said William. ‘I had a text to say they were nearly here. I almost regret teaching her texting – she can’t seem to stop. It’s like a sort of Tourette’s.’
‘It all looks great!’ said Jago, looking round the marquee. ‘I’d like this for our wedding, Hels – if you’d like it?’
‘Just what I want,’ said Helena. ‘It’s so good we agree.’
‘Ah! Here they are!’ said William.
‘Oh my God,’ said Jago. ‘I think I’m scared.’
All William’s aunts, and apparently several other people, had decided to wear hats. They looked magnificent but, Gilly thought, a bit overdressed for what was basically a buffet in a tent. There were chairs and tables for everyone to sit at but it was supposed to be a very informal occasion. This phalanx of women looked ready for Ladies’ Day at Ascot, or the wedding of a minor royal.
‘People love the chance to dress up,’ said Gilly, moving forward. ‘Daphne, how lovely to see you! And I adore your hat.’
‘Not hat, hatinator,’ Daphne corrected her, kissing her cheek. ‘Not to be confused with a fascinator.’
‘You’ve obviously looked into it,’ said Gilly.
‘Of course!’ Daphne turned her attention to Helena. ‘My, you’re a pretty girl, aren’t you?’
Gilly looked at her daughter through a stranger’s eyes. She had tonged her long hair so it came over her shoulder in ordered curls. She wore a simple dress – an old favourite – and ballet flats. She was wearing mascara and a bit of lipstick and looked, to Gilly’s entirely biased eyes, beautiful. And at her side was Jago, who, although he wasn’t wearing his suit, looked kind and handsome and just the man she would have chosen for her daughter (if the matter had anything to do with her). Gilly appreciated him deeply for being who he was. She’d have loved him if he’d been wearing budgie smugglers and a snorkel to her party.
Daphne patted Gilly’s arm. ‘Lovely young couple, darling. You’re so lucky.’
‘Yes I am,’ said Gilly, feeling lucky until her son came into her mind and she felt just a little bit sad. ‘Now, where are you going to sit?’
‘Isn’t there a seating plan?’ Daphne was put out by this basic mistake.
‘Well, no, we thought people would just—’
‘Don’t worry about it, darling. I’ll organise it.’ Daphne clapped her hands. ‘People! Follow me!’
Other guests began to arrive and the enclave of hat-wearing aunties was less prominent. But they still looked like a flock of exotic parakeets on an English bird table.
William and Gilly found they couldn’t go and sit down themselves for a while, so many people wanted to congratulate them, which, Gilly realised, was really a chance for one set of friends to get a look at their friend’s chosen partner. Gilly was glad to see the chaps from the gliding club, whom she knew.
‘You’re looking very lovely, my dear,’ said one. ‘We’re all so pleased that William has found the right girl at last. One who can join in with his hobby and not resent it. And you won’t regret your choice either. Salt of the earth is our William.’
‘I’m sure I won’t,’ said Gilly, smiling happily. ‘He’s perfect.’
‘Not sure I’m perfect, darling,’ said William, overhearing, ‘I don’t wash up very thoroughly.’
‘It’s OK,’ said Gilly, preparing to greet the next guest, ‘I have a dishwasher.’
People had mostly gone to the buffet and sat down again, the waiters had filled glasses, fetched water and made sure that Daphne’s little crew got cups of tea. William looked at Gilly. ‘Time for a quick speech?’
‘Do we have to?’
‘Just a very short one,’ said William. ‘I think we should.’
‘But you haven’t got any food yet!’ said Jago. ‘I’ll get you both some. If you go, you’ll never get back to your seats.’
Gilly didn’t want William to make a speech just yet and she was glad to be presented with a plate of delicious food by Jago. It put off the moment when, basically, she had to give up hope. Although she couldn’t really eat the food, she played around with it.
She had just put a pepper stuffed with goats cheese, and, it transpired, a bit of chilli, into her mouth when she saw some movement by the entrance of the marquee.
It was Martin, Cressida and Ismene. Martin was wearing a suit, Cressida was wearing a very body-con gun-metal dress with a fascinator to match and Gilly’s only granddaughter was dressed in the kind of smocked dress Gilly would have refused to wear when she was a child. She thought her heart would overflow with happiness. Issi waved at her. Gilly waved back.
Martin and Cressida made their way across the marquee, through the people who still hadn’t sat down with their plates of food.
‘Sorry we’re late, Mum,’ said Martin. ‘There was a lot of traffic.’ He only met her eyes for a second or two but that was enough. He was here. Gilly swallowed back tears of joy.
‘That top looks lovely on you,’ said Cressida. ‘It brings out the colour of your eyes.’
‘You look lovely too,’ said Gilly. ‘But then you always do.’
‘Are there chocolate brownies, Gilly?’ asked her granddaughter.
‘Yes. I did them specially for you, but they’re in the kitchen. In the tin. I didn’t want everyone to have them.’
The little girl sighed. ‘Thank you. Mummy says I can eat whatever I like today.’
‘William,’ said Martin, with a nod.
‘Martin,’ said William.
‘We’d better find somewhere to sit,’ said Cressida, ‘and get something to eat.’
‘There are some lovely salads,’ said Gilly.
‘I know,’ said Cressida. She smiled, really quite warmly. It was like being smiled at by a glacier – a bit unnerving.
‘We can do the speeches now,’ said Gilly happily when she’d seen Martin and Cressida find seats. Issi had gone into the house, probably to find the chocolate brownies. Gilly had made them in the vain hope she would get to eat them. And now she was.
‘Will you go first?’ said William.
‘Are you making a speech, Mum?’ Helena sounded surprised.
Gilly hadn’t planned one before but now she got to her feet. ‘It’s my house, I should welcome our guests.’
William tinged a glass, the conversation died away.
‘Hello, everyone,’ she said. ‘I won’t keep you long. I just want to welcome you and thank you for coming. This party is just a bit of a celebration and it’s lovely to have you all here with us.’ She took a sip of champagne. ‘In case you’re wondering what we’re celebrating exactly, well – it’s that gliding has become my hobby.’ There were cheers from the gliding-club contingent. ‘As that may seem a bit surprising to most of you, as it was a surprise to me, we thought we should mark it with a party. Now I think William wants to say something.’
William got up. ‘Strangely, although I am delighted Gilly has taken to gliding, I think we’re here to celebrate something slightly different, although no less momentous.’
‘Did we go to the church service? I can’t remember,’ said one of William’s aunts.
‘William and Gilly are very modern,’ said Daphne in a stage whisper, ‘I don’t think they’re getting married.’
‘Oh, that’s very sad,’ said the first aunt. ‘I wouldn’t have worn a hat if I’d known. I bought it specially.’
William cleared his throat loudly. ‘Just to set your minds at rest, beloved aunts and honorary aunts, I do have a ring in my pocket …’
Gilly gasped. Somehow, with everything else she had on her mind, this hadn’t occurred to her.
‘Although I had intended to ask Gilly if she would do me the honour of becoming my wife in private.’ He leaned in and whispered in her ear. ‘I’m so sorry. Just say yes now for the sake of the aunts. I’ll get Daphne to explain later if you don’t want to marry me.’
‘It’s all right, William, I do want to marry you,’ Gilly whispered back, having just realised it was true.
Assuming Gilly’s answer had been positive the aunts began chanting, ‘Show the ring, show the ring.’
‘Oh, go on, William,’ said Gilly. ‘Show them the ring.’
‘I’ll show it to you, first.’
It was a large sapphire surrounded by tiny diamonds. ‘I can change it if you don’t like it.’
‘It’s lovely,’ said Gilly, holding out her ring finger. ‘Put it on.’
‘I’ve got another present but I insist on giving you that in private.’
Gilly held out her hand and everyone admired the ring.
People flocked around them, congratulating them, admiring the rock on Gilly’s hand, telling William what a lucky man he was.
Martin came up. ‘I’m happy for you, Mum. Cressida made me see this is your home now, and not the family’s. And I’m sorry for trying to get you to sell it and introducing you to Leo. I didn’t realise he was such bad news.’
Gilly kissed him. ‘It’s all right. I’m just so glad to see you.’
He patted her shoulder awkwardly and went back to his family.
‘Come on,’ said William. ‘I can’t wait to talk to you alone.’
The kitchen was full of Ismene eating chocolate brownies, and the sitting room had an aunt, lying flat out on the sofa, hat askew, snoring gently. Eventually they went into the tiny office where Ulysses had been having a nap. Now he’d been woken, he stalked off to join the party, scattering hair as he went.
Gilly was dying of curiosity and anxiety in case William had bought her something she didn’t really want. Would she be brave enough to tell him so it could be sent back?
He pulled an envelope out of his inside pocket.
It was a holiday, she decided. That was OK.
He handed her the envelope. ‘I’ve been talking to your neighbour and her son,’ he said. ‘They were willing to sell this.’
Bewildered, she opened it. It took her a few moments to take in what she was reading. ‘The orchard,’ she said a little breathlessly. ‘You’ve bought the orchard. Oh, William! I never dreamed this could happen.’
‘It’s for you, it’s a present.’
Gilly wasn’t worried about the details, she just wanted to hug him. So she did. ‘Oh, thank you so much, William! Now we can have a proper wedding!’
