were such a good actor. You could end up with a BAFTA for this.’
***
By three o’clock they were back at the house and the wedding party was in full flow. A gypsy punk band from St Austell was playing insanely catchy Russian-style music, violins and balalaikas dueling with the hypnotic beat of the drums. There was wild dancing, there was singing, even the dogs joined in. Then it was time to sit down and eat. On her way to their table in the marquee, Ellie was stopped by the vicar.
‘Hello! Having fun?’
‘Oh yes.’
‘You’re Zack’s girlfriend, am I right?’
Would lying to a man of God cause you to be instantly struck down by a thunderbolt? Ellie nodded and said brightly, ‘That’s me!’
The thunderbolt didn’t happen. He beamed at her. ‘Could be you two next, getting married!’
OK, she couldn’t do it. Lying to a vicar was plain wrong. ‘Actually, we won’t be. It’s not really like that with me and Zack. We’re just friends.’ There, she’d said it.
‘Hahahahahaha!’ The vicar threw back his head, showing a quantity of amalgam fillings. ‘Very good, hahaha. Now, where’s my table? Ah, I’m over there…’
The tables were covered in white swagged tablecloths strewn with flowers and silver confetti. The wine had been flowing for the last hour and everyone was nicely relaxed. As the hired caterers began serving the first course, Zack introduced Ellie to the other guests at their table: two long-standing neighbors of the McLarens, three old school friends of Steph’s, and a well-dressed man in his early sixties who explained that he was Gareth’s godfather.
‘So are you going to be next on the list?’ The woman who had lived next door to Zack for many years gave him a jokey nudge.
‘Who knows? It could be a possibility.’ Ellie found herself on the receiving end of the kind of smile from Zack that would have anyone believing him. God, he was brilliant at this. Then again, two could play at that game.
She said playfully, ‘You’d have to give me a pay raise first.’
He shook his head. ‘You drive a hard bargain.’
‘Maybe.’ Ellie turned and gazed deep, deep, deep into his eyes. ‘But I’m worth it.’
Across the table, one of Steph’s friends said cheerfully, ‘You two, get a room!’
Which brought Ellie crashing back to earth and concentrating hard on her starter of scallops in Pernod.
By the time the plates were removed, Zack had got talking to Gareth’s godfather, whose name was Paul. Moments later, Elmo arrived to pay them a visit, scrabbling to be allowed on to Zack’s lap.
‘Sorry about this. No, Elmo. Get down.’
‘Oh, let him join us, I don’t mind. I love dogs.’ Paul gave Elmo’s ears a friendly scratch and adjusted the leather collar that had got itself skew-whiff in all the excitement. ‘But if your name’s McLaren, why does it say Castle on the identity tag?’ He looked at Ellie. ‘Or is that you?’
Ellie shook her head. ‘He’s a timeshare dog. Zack and his neighbor have dual custody. Neither of them can manage a full-time commitment. Zack takes Elmo for most of the walks while he’s at home. Then when he’s away, Elmo goes to live with Geraldine.’
Paul nodded. ‘Makes sense. Good plan.’ Then he smiled and rubbed Elmo’s head. ‘Geraldine Castle, that takes me back. I used to know someone by that name years ago.’
‘If you met our Geraldine, you’d never forget her. She’s a character,’ said Zack.
‘So was the one I knew. Quite a girl.’ Paul leaned back to make room for the waitress who was now serving dinner. ‘She once danced with a skeleton at our May Ball.’
Ellie and Zack exchanged a look. Ellie said, ‘Our Geraldine’s a doctor.’
Switching from fond reminiscence to dawning realization, Paul put down his wine glass. ‘So am I.’
There was a tiny pause. Could it really be the same Geraldine? Ellie said, ‘Where did you study medicine?’
‘Edinburgh.’
‘That’s it.’ Ellie nodded. ‘Edinburgh’s where she trained. She told me once about a crowd of them having a wheelbarrow race down Princes Street. In real wheelbarrows.’
‘Why am I not surprised to hear that?’ said Zack.
‘Did she mention she was wearing a bikini top and hula skirt while she was doing it?’ Paul was shaking his head in disbelief. ‘This is amazing. I was there. We’d been to a costume party. It was midnight, there were roadworks going on, and the wheelbarrows had been left out, so we decided to put them to good use…’
‘You and Geraldine! Oh wow!’ Ellie clapped her hands; was there anything more