‘Fabulous.’ Lottie kept smiling. ‘That reminds me. Our florist has asked if she can meet you for a chat about your flowers? Obviously, time is of the essence and she’d like to discuss things here at Firholme so you can get the best idea of how the arrangements will look.’
‘I can probably come back tomorrow.’
‘That’s fine. We can all meet together if you like? In the café before it opens?’
‘No problem. Connor won’t be needed. I want to show the florist my dress and he can’t see it before the day, now can he?’ She smirked. ‘That would be bad luck.’
‘Of course.’ Lottie realised that with all the subterfuge she was going to be seeing a lot more of her bridal couple than she normally would but at least Connor wouldn’t be around the next day.
A moment later, Lottie’s spirits lifted when Jay walked in with a large box full of holly and mistletoe, which would be used to create swags and vases of seasonal greenery.
‘This is Jay, our estates manager,’ she said brightly. ‘He’s responsible for the tree.’
‘Not only me,’ Jay said, placing the box on the tiles. ‘There’s a team of us.’
‘Well, congratulations to you all. It looks great,’ Keegan said, looking into the box. ‘Is that mistletoe? I’ve not seen any of the English variety for real before. Is it from Firholme?’
‘Yes, it’s been gathered on the estate. This came from some of the conifers and hawthorn.’
Keegan picked out a bunch from the box and looked up. ‘Oh, Connor! There you are. Come over here and see this!’
Connor walked into the ballroom. ‘What’s “this”?’ he asked, joining her.
‘Real mistletoe.’ She waggled the sprigs, with their plump white berries, above his head. ‘We have to try it out.’
‘Perhaps not right now,’ Connor said lightly, but Lottie could see him cringing. She felt awkward herself.
‘Why not?’ said Keegan. ‘Don’t be shy. We are getting married after all.’
‘I’ll fetch in the rest of the greenery from outside,’ Jay muttered and scuttled off.
Lottie had no such escape route. She feigned interest in her phone while Keegan gave Connor a lingering kiss on the lips.
She heaved a sigh of relief, when Jay came back with another box overflowing with prickly holly. She was struck by the difference in their looks. Was it wrong to fancy them both, even if it was in different ways? In his leather jacket and designer jeans, Connor was artfully casual, his dark brown hair cut and gelled into an on-trend style. Jay was untamed, with tousled hair, in faded jeans and Firholme sweatshirt.
Keegan caught her eye and linked her arm through Connor’s, forcing a smile from Lottie and leaving her wondering if Keegan had realised she was admiring her fiancé. Connor probably hadn’t realised he had scarlet lipstick around his mouth, which made him look like a clown had done his make-up in the dark. Lottie squashed down the urge to laugh.
After Connor and Keegan admired the holly, Jay said he’d be back later ‘when you aren’t so busy’ and fled once again. She wondered what he wanted to say to her.
‘So, Lottie. You said you’d give us a proper tour of the rooms for the bridal party today?’ Keegan said.
‘No problem,’ Lottie said brightly.
‘Connor?’ Keegan said. ‘You’re coming with us?’
Connor pulled his mobile from his pocket. ‘I need to take this call first. It’s Mum.’ Lottie detected a ‘sorry, not sorry’ edge to his tone.
He hurried out of the room but Keegan lowered her voice anyway. ‘He doesn’t want Fiona to hear anything that might give the game away. We’ve told her that we’re having a special family lunch to celebrate her recovery, at a smart hotel. That’s so we can get her here on the day in her party outfit.’
‘You don’t think anyone will give the game away?’ Lottie said, thinking again of how much Fiona might have enjoyed helping with the wedding prep.
Keegan’s eyes flashed. ‘We’ve told them we’ll never speak to them again if they do.’ The she laughed. ‘Only joking but I would be very annoyed if it got out, after all the effort we’re going to. Connor would be furious too. He may seem easy-going, but under the charm, he’s a tough cookie. You should see him in a board meeting.’ Keegan blew out a breath. ‘He plays hardball, I can tell you.’
‘Really?’ Lottie said.
The Connor she remembered had been meticulous and ambitious, but he’d never really struck her as a hard-talking high-flyer. Although for all she knew, the new shiny version could have turned into a corporate megastar.
‘You have no idea,’ Keegan said then laughed again. ‘But this is a wedding not a business deal and we’re meant to be on a break. Connor’s a big softy when it comes to his family – and me. I’m so lucky.’
‘I’m sure he’s lucky to have you,’ said Lottie, through gritted teeth. ‘Now, would you like that tour of the guests’ rooms?’
Sometimes families celebrating special occasions could take over the house and its ten bedrooms exclusively – and at a price, of course. However, neither Connor nor Keegan had batted an eyelid when Lottie had told them the cost of their wedding package. Given how obsessed he was with figures and planning, she guessed he’d hate all these hasty plans – either that or he’d changed.
Lottie opened the door to the bridal suite and let Keegan walk ahead of her. It was a huge room with high ceilings and a large bay window that overlooked the lake.
‘Wow. This is magnificent.’ Keegan shook her head in admiration. ‘That’s a huge bed.’
‘It’s an original frame from the Edwardian era,’ Lottie said, trying to focus to the facts about the bed, not what might happen in it.
Keegan ran her hand over the cover and lay back on it. ‘It’s gorgeous.’ She closed her eyes. ‘I always dreamed of spending our first night in a bed like this. Our first married night, that is. We’ve
