Love at the Little Wedding Shop by the Sea - Jane Linfoot Page 0,35
and turn up the volume so the words to This Is It are reverberating off the side of the van and hopefully lodging themselves in Nic’s head.
He shuffles in his seat. ‘And now a subliminal message from Melba Moore?’
I ignore that, take the turn and edge along between the avenue of trees towards the manor. But even though I fade the music at the vital moment, we’re suddenly back to how we were before driving into the bog. The most I get from Nic is a sniff as he shifts the position of his legs – which I’m definitely not noticing or looking at because I’m way too busy steering. Seriously, I’ve run off the road once already, I can’t risk it happening again. And even if Nic is unmoved by the low slant of the afternoon sun turning the stone on the front of the house to the colour of warm honey, at least I enjoy it.
As we pull up beside Poppy’s Landy, next to a front door flanked by bay trees in hammered lead boxes, I can’t tell if Nic’s lack of any comment at all is because he doesn’t like it, or because I’ve overdone the music and numbed his brain entirely. If it’s simply down to mud fatigue, no one could blame him.
As we get blown towards the front door, I’m trying to stay relaxed and light. ‘So, this is where Jess and Bart live, but Poppy’s manager, Kip, takes charge of weddings here.’
Having Poppy grinning at me from behind Nic makes me feel so much better. Her squeeze on my elbow lets me know she hasn’t forgotten that a few summers ago when the venue was first open, I once brought Ben to a wedding fair here put on by Brides by the Sea. Obviously that day, as soon as I’d got enough notes and pictures for a piece on the blog, I headed straight for the sweet table and Ben ended up flat out on the lawn by the beer gazebo. Which was very much the pattern we followed. Needless to say, unlike lots of other couples, we didn’t make a booking.
I make sure my skirt is nipped firmly in place between my knees, then give Nic a bright smile. ‘So, the main house opens onto lawns that roll down to the lake.’ I only have a few more minutes to clinch this, so I’m not holding back. ‘Even from out here you can see it offers the perfect combo – a wonderful party venue that will give you amazing photographs too.’
Nic’s nodding. Which has to be a good sign, doesn’t it? ‘In terms of the space to move around, this certainly looks much better than anywhere else we’ve seen.’
‘Wow, did I hear a “certainly”?’ I give Poppy a nudge. ‘That’s the best I’ve had all day.’ It’s great to be part of a double act.
Her eyebrows have gone into overdrive as she reaches for the handle on the huge front door. ‘So we might have a contender here?’
He did say he’d know it as soon as he saw it, and my heart’s already lifted.
He pauses for so long I’m making silent bets if he’ll say, abso-bloody-lutely, or sure thing. He doesn’t even need to be that fancy – a simple yes would do fine.
He clears his throat. ‘What I was actually going to say was, lovely as it is, I don’t think there’s much point going in, because it won’t be in the running.’
I’m picking my jaw up off the floor. ‘Excuse me, Nic, but I don’t get it. You made it clear you can afford the manor – and not many people can. Jess has made what’s usually completely unattainable these days very available, especially for you. It’s out-of-this-world amazing. And you’re NOT EVEN GOING INSIDE?’ I know Poppy’s giving me throat cutting signals, but I can’t help my frustration from spilling over.
She’s got her best bride-soothing voice on. ‘So maybe you could share exactly what it is that didn’t wow you?’
I’m trying to pull this back, asking myself where the hell we went wrong.
Nic pulls down the corners of his mouth. ‘I know I asked for somewhere with better circulation spaces than the farm, but Pixie just isn’t an ostentatious person. That sweeping drive, the whole country estate, stately home feel – she wouldn’t be comfortable here at all.’
‘Great.’ I say. ‘Good for Elfinor!’ And bummer for us. ‘The more of a picture we get of her likes and dislikes, the