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have,’ Susie told Diana as they drove to Bride on Time.
    When Susie and Dave got married, Susie had had to wear a maternity dress. She had wanted to wait until after Diana was born to have the wedding, so that she could slim down and wear a proper bridal gown, but Diana’s maternal grandfather had insisted that the marriage came before the birth. He would not countenance an illegitimate grandchild.
    ‘So I missed out on everything,’ said Susie. ‘I had to wear a nylon sack and have my reception in a working men’s club. Your wedding is a chance to have the day I always wanted.’
    ‘Trust me, Mum,’ said Diana, ‘my wedding is going to be the best wedding in the world. No expense will be spared.’ She pulled out her phone. ‘I’m just going to remind Dad he needs to transfer five grand to my account for the deposits.’

Chapter Eight
    Kate didn’t know what she had expected the atmosphere in a bridal shop to be like. Actually, she did know what she had expected. She had expected it to be like a wonderful girls-only tea party, full of excitement and anticipation. Full of happiness . . .
    Well, there was to be no tea. That was quickly established. There was a sign on the wall as you walked into the self-consciously styled salon saying, ‘No beverages or food whatsoever.’ Beneath it was a picture of a teacup scored through to underline that such things were strictly verboten at Bride on Time. Kate understood that a spillage among so much white silk would be very expensive indeed, so no tea, but she was surprised that there didn’t seem to be much happiness going on either.
    There were three brides-to-be in the shop that afternoon. All of them, Kate included, looked as though they were waiting for a dental appointment rather than to choose a wedding dress. As she hovered with her mother and sister, and waited to be told what to do next, Kate worked out that she was the eldest bride by at least a decade, though one of the others had two children in tow. Kate heard that particular bride discussing the children’s part in the wedding with a woman who could only have been her mother. They had the same pinched expression on their faces, as though constantly smelling something bad.
    ‘Jayden’s dad says he’s not going to let him come to the wedding at all, but I told him that I am Jayden’s mother and he will be there whether his father likes it or not. Anyway, after this wedding, Terry will be his father, won’t he? Darren won’t have a say any more.’
    Kate winced at the thought of the custody battle brewing there.
    The other bride, with her long, glossy hair and her beige patent Louboutin courts, seemed unnaturally poised for someone so young. She was accompanied by her mother, Kate guessed, and a friend or sister, who buzzed around her like a handmaiden. The younger bride gave Kate a very obvious once-over. Kate withered under her gaze.
    ‘Kate Williamson!’
    Kate raised her hand as her name was called.
    ‘Oh,’ said the middle-aged woman with the clipboard. ‘I thought you were one of the mums.’
    ‘I’m already not enjoying this,’ Kate whispered to Tess.
    Heidi was going to be looking after Kate that afternoon.
    ‘She’s the one from Vivienne Westwood,’ Tess whispered.
    Heidi didn’t look like she’d started her career in a top designer atelier. She was five feet tall with hair the colour of overcooked red cabbage. Her cheap purple skirt suit, which strained over her stomach and hips, clashed violently with her badly dyed hair. All in all, Heidi’s appearance did not inspire much confidence in her ability to help Kate look beautiful on her wedding day. Still, according to Tess, women came from miles away for the benefit of Heidi’s expertise, and she seemed professional enough as she explained how the session would proceed.
    Heidi handed over five plastic rings – each with a slit – that Kate was to place over the hangers of the dresses that she wanted to try on. She encouraged