‘Oh my! What a magnificent tree!’ Fiona said, walking into the ballroom. ‘And that smell is divine.’
‘Our estate manager and his team did all of that,’ Lottie said.
‘Keegan will be delighted, although I expect she’s already seen all of this,’ Fiona said in wonder. ‘Now I know what all the whispering and phones pinging were all about. I did wonder if this “family lunch” was some kind of celebration but I’d no idea it was a wedding. How Derrick kept it to himself I have no idea. You know what he’s like for letting the cat out of the bag.’
Lottie laughed. ‘I certainly do.’
Fiona was swept off to chat to a relative. Lottie was filled with relief, at least about the wedding itself. A few hours ago, she was facing disaster but now felt that no matter what she thought of Connor, at least his mother would get to see him married at Firholme. She’d managed to make that happen – anything after the couple left the premises was their own affair. She hoped for everyone’s sake that they’d be happy together.
A sharp pang of regret struck her.
All around her, people were laughing, kissing each other, there was a buzz of excitement and anticipation in the air. She was used to the trappings of weddings – flowers, balloons, fireworks – they was part of her job. At the end of the day, though, Connor and Keegan were making a lifelong commitment … promising to love and care for each other, hopefully forever. Their future would, with luck, be long and happy and even include a family one day …
Never before had Lottie had such a desolate moment at a wedding: the feeling of being on the outside, her face pressed to the window watching other people rejoicing. Never had happiness – the deep and lasting kind that comes from being with someone you love and who loves you deeply – seemed so impossibly remote.
She’d glimpsed a chance that Jay could be the one, but after last night she felt she was further away from him than ever.
Her phone rang and she escaped onto the terrace to take a call from Shayla. ‘Hi there. We’re all ready for you,’ she said.
‘Great but we’re not ready for you!’ Shayla’s voice was taut with anxiety. Lottie could hear raised voices in the background. ‘We’re a mile away but we’re not going anywhere. The road’s blocked by a delivery van that slid into a wall. I can’t turn around either. There are cars behind me. We’re completely stuck. I’m outside the car so Keegan and co can’t hear me but they’re freaking out.’
Lottie groaned. Could anything else possibly go wrong? She spotted Jay at the bottom of the steps and waved to him. He trotted up to her.
‘Hang on, we’ll come up with something,’ she said a few seconds later. ‘Jay’s here. I’ll put him on speaker.’
Shayla explained the problem, with Jay listening intently.
‘What are our options?’ she said to Jay. ‘We can’t ask Keegan and her parents to walk through the snow in their wedding gear.’
‘Can you collect them in the tractor?’ Lottie asked.
Jay scratched his chin. ‘Maybe. Where exactly are you?’
‘Almost opposite Fellside Farm!’
Lottie had a brainwave. ‘Isn’t there a farm gate around there?’
‘Should be,’ Jay said, exchanging a glance with her, as if he’d had the same idea.
‘Hang on.’ Shayla broke off for a few moments and they heard her breathing heavily. ‘Yes, there is. About ten yards back.’
‘OK. Stay put. I’ll bring the tractor over our land and through the field to you. The farmer won’t mind.’
Shayla’s voice was laced with panic. ‘OK but can you be quick? The wedding’s in less than an hour.’
‘I think you should warn people that the bride might be a bit late,’ Jay said to Lottie.
‘I agree, especially Connor …’
Jay raised his eyebrows. ‘You could let him stew?’ he said, with satisfaction.
‘It’s tempting, but for Fiona’s sake, I’d better warn them.’
‘What state is the cab in?’ Lottie said.
‘As you’d expect for a vehicle that’s been hauling logs through the mud for days. I’ll sort that out so don’t worry but it will take a bit of time.’
Jay hurried away so Lottie picked up the phone again. When Shayla answered, Lottie could hear Keegan screeching. ‘This is an omen! It’s someone’s way of saying I shouldn’t go through with this.’
A stern Aussie voice, which Lottie recognised as Keegan’s mother, spoke up. ‘Don’t be silly, it’s just a bit of snow and don’t cry – you’ll ruin your bloody make-up.’
The next few words were muffled before Shayla came on the line. ‘Hello, Lottie, it’s all under control, then … we have absolutely no need to panic …’ Shayla said slowly, leaving Lottie in no doubt of the atmosphere in the ‘wedding’ car.
‘It is. Jay’s on his way but there might be a short delay. I’ll warn the guests if you can reassure Keegan,’ Lottie said to Shayla. ‘But maybe don’t mention the tractor just yet.’
Lottie spoke to Connor, reassuring him Keegan would only be delayed a little longer. Even so, Connor was twitchy. ‘Where exactly is she?’
‘Jay says it’s all in hand. It takes time to prepare the tractor and cab. It’s a working vehicle.’
‘Tractor!’ Connor snorted in horror. ‘I can’t believe Keegan’s going to arrive in a tractor.’
‘You’re lucky she’s coming at all.’
‘Yeah … Yes. Sorry. I’m a bit stressed.’ He nodded. ‘Thanks for talking to her. I don’t know what you said but it worked. You got me off the hook.’
‘Why don’t you go back inside and talk to your mum,’ Lottie said, keen to steer clear of any friction. She managed a reassuring smile for him. ‘This was meant to be her day too, remember?’
‘If Keegan ever makes it,’ he said gloomily.
‘They’ll get here. I have every faith in Jay.’
Connor scrutinised her. ‘Yes, I can see that.’
‘Do you want me to update your guests on the situation?’ she asked before Connor said any more about Jay. ‘Or do you want to tell them?’
‘Me? No, you do it. You’d be so much better. I can hardly speak for nerves as it is.’
‘OK. Fine.’
Lottie stood on the dais and addressed those guests still sitting in their seats. ‘We may have a little while longer to wait for the bride due to a – um – minor transport malfunction,’ she said. ‘It’s all under control and I can assure you we will have a bride. In the meantime, do please return to the drawing room for some more champagne.’
There were a few sighs but most were only too delighted at the prospect of more fizz. Connor was sinking a glass himself and Lottie hoped they wouldn’t all be sozzled by the time the actual ceremony took place. She arranged refreshments for the registrar and then retreated to an anteroom to check her phone. Keegan was over an hour late now and Lottie couldn’t even get hold of Jay.
Just as she was beginning to wonder if Keegan had changed her mind after all, Lottie received a message from Jay.
Get everyone on the steps of the house ASAP.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Lottie walked into the drawing room and picked up the mike. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention, please? I have some fantastic news. The bride is on her way any time now. Can I please ask you all to either come outside to the steps of the house or keep a lookout from the window of the ballroom for the arrival of the bride?’
Connor hurried over. ‘Is everything OK?’
‘Yes. Don’t worry. She’s on her way. I think you should come outside,’ she told him.
‘Thank God for that.’
Spotting a posy of flowers on a chair, Lottie rescued it and gave it to Alicia, who had a pint in her hand. ‘Keegan’s on her way,’ she said. ‘I think it would be a good idea if you waited here in the doorway.’
Sighing, Alicia put down her glass and took the posy and Lottie noticed the Hunter’s poking out from the bottom of her bridesmaid’s d
ress.
‘No time to change them now,’ Alicia declared. ‘Look, the queen is here.’
A collective ‘oh’ rippled through the guests gathered at the windows and on the terrace.
Rushing outside, Lottie almost had to rub her eyes in disbelief. A traditional sleigh driven by Cush and pulled by two reindeer made its way up across the field towards Firholme. Behind it was the tractor driven by Jay carrying Keegan’s parents. She whipped out her phone to video the arrival for the twins, wishing they could have come to the wedding and seen it for themselves.
The sleigh drew closer as guests crowded onto the porch steps to take pictures and videos. Keegan was grinning from ear to ear and waving like royalty. The photographer dashed out, snapping pictures of the sleigh and the reindeer in their red harnesses with jingling bells. They looked magnificent against the backdrop of snowy fells, and the lake glittering in the valley below.
Cush brought the deer to a halt a little way from the steps and called: ‘Stand back, folks, and if you could dampen down the excitement a little, that would be good.’
She climbed down from the sleigh, leaving Keegan sitting serenely inside, wrapped in her cloak with its furry hood.
‘Oh, my word, it’s a real-life Snow Queen,’ Fiona cried.
‘Looks more like the White Witch to me,’ Alicia muttered in Lottie’s ear. ‘I love those gorgeous reindeer though.’
Jay and some of the grounds staff manoeuvred an accessibility ramp into position between the sleigh and the steps and placed a red carpet on it.
Connor appeared to be dumbstruck.
She gave him a gentle nudge. ‘Your bride is waiting,’ she said.
Snapping into action, he walked down the steps and handed Keegan out of the sleigh, while Cush soothed the reindeer. Meanwhile, Jay helped her parents out of the tractor. Her father stood next to her while her mother spread the cloak out. Dozens of phones were still snapping and videoing, and the photographer was having a field day.
Lottie stood at the top of the steps and clapped her hands. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, could you please all make your way back inside to await the entrance of the bride?’
Her announcement had the desired effect and guests made their way back into the house where they were directed into the ballroom to take their seats for the ceremony. Lottie went to help the bridal party. To her relief, Kai had already ushered Connor back inside the house, and Keegan’s mum was on her way up the steps too, which left the bride and her father waiting at the bottom.
Lottie was keen to get them out of the cold as soon as possible.
‘This is going on the front page of my website!’ the photographer said to Lottie. ‘Just one more with the sleigh!’ he called.
She’d heard that phrase ‘just one more’ a hundred times before, so she took charge before Keegan and her dad turned blue.
‘We’re ready to start. Please go back inside,’ she said firmly, then turned to Keegan. ‘You look amazing.’ She was struck by how she’d changed over the past few weeks, from being shocked and hurt that Connor was getting married, to simply being proud that she’d organised a wedding to remember against all the odds.
She saw Keegan and her father safely into the house where Alicia was waiting, as meek as a lamb. Making sure there were no stray guests to be rounded up from outside, Lottie met Jay outside the doors.
‘Where’s Shayla?’ she asked, a little concerned about her boss being stranded.
‘She says she’ll be along soon because the stranded car is being towed away, but I’ll drive down to her in the tractor to make sure,’ he said.
‘Thanks. For everything. I don’t think we will ever top a bride arriving by a sleigh pulled by reindeer.’
‘I got lucky and it was all thanks to Cush for agreeing to do it. I’m glad they’re happy but … I did it for you.’
She held her breath.
‘I’m not a complete arse. Not all of the time, anyway, but I can see why you’re angry with me. I’m probably not the best person for any woman to be with, especially not someone as lovely as you.’
He walked off.
‘Wait. Jay.’ Lottie was left longing to ask him what he meant, but knowing she could do nothing until this wedding was over.
Darkness had fallen and the speeches were over when Lottie finally snatched a few minutes to herself. She sneaked off to the tiny staff cloakroom, once a butler’s pantry, and heaved a huge sigh of relief. Keegan and Connor were married. Her job wasn’t done yet; there was the evening party to get through, but with everyone safely inside the house, she hoped nothing major would go wrong.
Exiting the cloakroom she was surprised to find Fiona, holding a glass and gazing up at the grand staircase and entrance hall. Her eyes lit up when she saw Lottie. ‘Lottie!’
‘Fiona.’ Lottie smiled.
‘This has been the most amazing experience. I want to thank you. You’re very welcome. I’m happy it went so well. Connor had no idea I was the wedding planner when he walked in with Keegan but they wanted the ceremony here for you, and Connor – we both – wanted our former relationship kept private.’
The doors to the gents’ opened and Jay strolled out. He was wearing his velvet jacket and jeans, and looking wickedly gorgeous. She wanted to get the conversation over with but Fiona had her back to him, and must have no idea he was there. He waited a few feet away, watching them.
‘That must have been very hard for you, my dear,’ Fiona said.
‘Only at the start. I – I realised that we were never meant for each other.’ Lottie trod a very fine line between tact and honesty. Much as she liked Fiona, she couldn’t come out and say: I’m glad I never married your son. I’m glad I met someone who would be so much better for me. Or who could have been much better, if he’d only learn to let go of the past and let himself be happy again.
‘That’s very diplomatic. I hope Keegan and Connor are meant for each other.’
‘I’m sure they are,’ Lottie said quickly, hearing the band start up in the ballroom.
‘Yes.’ Fiona looked wistful. ‘Let’s keep everything crossed for a happy ending.’ She had to raise her voice above the bass line from the ballroom. ‘Or a happy beginning. The moment full of optimism, hope, when anything is possible.’
‘That’s how I try to think of it with every couple.’ Lottie gave a wry smile, hoping Jay would leave, but he didn’t.
‘I hope you’ve found someone who deserves you.’
Acutely aware that Jay was within hearing distance, Lottie laughed. ‘I’m not sure who deserves me.’
‘He’d have to be someone pretty special. Someone who appreciates you and knows not to ever let you go.’ Fiona hiccupped. ‘Whoops. Forgive me. Too much fizz.’ She turned and finally caught sight of Jay.
‘Is this the Jay who rescued my daughter-in-law and arranged that magnificent entrance?’ Fiona waved her glass rather cavalierly in the air; a few drops splashed out. ‘Keegan pointed you out earlier but I wanted to thank you personally.’
‘It nearly didn’t happen,’ Lottie said when Jay joined her, standing awkwardly by. ‘And I had so many people who all pulled together to make it happen.’
‘Well you can relax now. Connor and Keegan are man and wife and the party has only just got going.’
‘I hope so,’ Lottie said, finally wondering if she dared allow herself the tiniest sip of fizz. Even if her love life was falling apart before it had started – again – she could certainly afford to let out a huge sigh of relief as far as the reception was concerned.
‘Go on, have a little glass, both of you. You’ve earned it.’ Fiona summoned a waiter. ‘Can you be a love and let us have two glasses of fizz, please, for these amazing people?’
‘A tiny one!’ Lottie protested.
The waiter held out the silver tray and Lottie took a glass that still had twice as much champagne as she would dare to drink while working.
‘Thank you,’ Jay said politely, and accepted a glass but didn’t drink
from it.
‘There you are. Cheers!’ Fiona raised her glass and Lottie put hers to her lips, just as the lights in the house flickered and everyone was plunged into darkness.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
The band stopped. A few shrieks pierced the air followed by laughter.
‘Oh gosh, I never expected that!’
Fiona’s shock was mirrored by Lottie, but it was quickly followed by a rush of adrenaline and the need for action. Her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness, but even the clouds had come over, hiding all but the occasional glimpse of the moon shining on the snow. ‘The emergency lighting will come on any moment,’ she said, switching on her phone torch. ‘Fiona, come into the ballroom with me and we’ll reassure everyone.’
Jay’s deep voice was at her side. ‘I’ll fetch a proper torch from the butler’s pantry and take a look. I’m afraid the maintenance team are in no fit state to be messing around in the electric system.’
‘Thanks. Be careful.’
‘I will.’ He walked into the darkness, his phone screen lighting his way.
Lottie guided Fiona back to the ballroom where many of the guests had also turned on their phones, illuminating dozens of faces with an eerie light. Even without the lights, the buzz of voices would have led them there anyway, and the sound of Keegan shouting. ‘Oh my God! What’s happened?’
Lottie called for attention. ‘Ladies and gentlemen. Apologies for the temporary power failure. Our generator should cut in any time soon with some emergency lighting and our maintenance team are on their way to fix it. Until then, can I ask that you stay exactly where you are to avoid anyone tripping or falling in the darkness? Please, bear with us and we’ll have the party started again very soon.’
Lottie spotted Connor and Keegan, who was sitting on the dais, her face lit up by Shayla’s torch.
‘Can I help?’ Shayla asked, taking Lottie aside.
‘Yes, please. Could you make sure that everyone is OK for me? Let me know if you’re concerned about anyone?’
‘Will do.’
‘Any ETA for the lights to be back on?’ her boss asked.
A Surprise Christmas Wedding: from the best selling author of A Perfect Cornish Christmas comes one of the most feel-good winter romance books of 2020 Page 26
