I hadn’t known until now that I was going to do this. But as everyone kept telling me, this was my big day.

I chinked my knife tentatively against my plate. ‘I – er. Sorry, everyone, if you thought that was end of the speeches, but I’ve heard that some brides say a little something. Why let the men have all the fun? And, after all, I am my mother’s daughter.’

Everyone laughed, my mum loudest of all, and Mireille smoothly stood to perform her linguistic duty once again.

‘To be honest, I think most of it’s been said already.’ I took a deep breath. ‘But I want this to come from me. It’s not often you get the chance to tell people how much they mean to you. We Brits are so dreadful at that.’

Mireille smiled.

‘So, here goes. I’d like to thank my parents for their unwavering love and support. People say you never stop being a parent, even when your children are grown-up, and with what mine have had to put up with over the past year or so, I can see that now. Thank you to Nick for … Well, for being Nick. He’s the best little brother, when he’s not pulling the legs off your favourite dolls.’

Nick grinned, and Aunt Jeanie tutted at him.

‘Thank you to Aunt Jeanie and the rest of my family, simply for being a part of my life.’

I moved my glance over to Alain’s family. ‘And thank you to Alain’s family for accepting me into their fold. I hope we can become closer as the years go by.’

I stared out across the sea of faces, at a loss as to where to start. ‘I have friends old and new here, and it would be impossible to pick you out individually or we’ll be here all day, so I shall simply say this. To old friends: your friendship over the years has meant more to me than I could ever tell you. To new friends: you are the warmest and most welcoming set of people I could have the privilege to know.’

I looked down the table at the wavy silver head next to Ellie. ‘I know I said I wouldn’t pick out individuals, but I do need to make one exception, because without Rupert, none of this – my life here in France, this wedding – would be happening at all.’

A cheer amongst those who knew him, and a blush from the man himself.

‘And most of all, thank you to my new husband. For taking a chance on me.’

Alain took my hand.

‘But since he’s already been toasted – twice – I would like to propose my toast to all of you here today. To the people who mean the world to me.’

Glasses were raised, chatter began again, and I plopped down in my seat with relief that it was over and that I’d had the courage to do it.

My speech earned me another kiss from Alain and a pat on the hand from my mother as our wait staff brought plates for the cake.

Mum ushered Alain and me over to it and everyone gathered round with their cameras. When Mum handed me a knife, and I stared at the frankly un-cuttable structure, the entire crowd burst out laughing. But my mother was insistent on the traditional shot, so we posed, pointing the knife threateningly at the pyramid of confectionery, then left the wait staff to expertly do whatever they had to do to deconstruct it and serve it with coffee.

Sitting back down, I frowned down the table at Rupert. ‘How the hell will they produce coffee? That machine of yours will take hours to make sixty-odd!’

‘They brought a dozen large cafetières with them,’ he said smoothly.

My eyes widened. ‘They thought of everything, didn’t they? But what about the dirty dishes?’

Rupert rolled his eyes. ‘Emmy, this is your wedding day. Dirty dishes shouldn’t be bothering that pretty head of yours. But as I can see that they are? They’re boxing it up. Ryan and I will take it back tomorrow, where their industrial dishwashers can work their magic.’

‘Wow!’

‘Yeah. Wow. Now, concentrate on that handsome husband of yours. I doubt he’s interested in dirty dishes today.’

‘Damn right,’ Alain agreed. ‘You should be more worried about packing for Mallorca.’ He laughed at my expression. ‘You’d forgotten all about that, hadn’t you?’

‘Er. Kind of.’ I felt ridiculous. How could you forget about your own honeymoon?

Alain smiled. ‘It’s not like you haven’t had anything else to worry about, the last couple of days.’

‘True.’ I leaned in for a kiss. ‘Have you packed already?’

‘Yes.’

‘Ugh. You’re so organised.’

‘Don’t worry, it won’t take long. You don’t need much. Something for the beach. Nothing for bed.’

I sighed at the idea of relaxing, just the two of us. Nobody to answer to for two whole weeks. ‘Mmm. Sounds good.’

‘Certainly does. You look incredible in that dress, Emmy.’ He dropped his voice. ‘I presume you’ll need help getting out of it, later?’

‘There’s hours to go before that. I want to get my money’s worth first. Or Dad’s money’s worth.’

‘I can wait.’ There was a world of promise in those three words. I had a feeling my wedding night was going to be one to remember.

When coffee was finished, guests began to mingle and table-hop, and I told Alain we should do the same.

He helped me out of my seat – not an easy task in a floor-length dress. ‘Over here first, Emmy. There’s someone I want you to meet.’

He led me to a table where a dapper couple in their late sixties were chatting to their neighbours.

Alain lapsed into French. ‘Emmy, I’d like you to meet Paul, my old boss – the man I came to work for when I first moved to Pierre-la-Fontaine. And this is his wife Charlotte.’

We exchanged kisses.

‘Pleased to meet you.’

‘Likewise,’ Paul said. ‘Alain told me what a gem of a girl he found, and now I believe him.’

I smiled. These Frenchmen with their compliments.

‘But I must correct him,’ Paul went on. ‘I was never his boss. He is too modest. He joined me as my partner.’

‘Maybe,’ Alain conceded. ‘But you taught me how to become an accountant in a small town which I came to love, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.’

Paul beamed. ‘Then I did a good job.’

We continued to circulate, making sure we spoke to everyone. When Alain got caught up with an old college friend, I excused myself and approached our mayor, who as usual was chatting casually while being ogled by every woman in the vicinity between the ages of twenty-five and seventy. His official sash had been removed along with his jacket, making him instantly more approachable.

‘Monsieur Renaud, I want to thank you for the poem you read out at our ceremony today,’ I said in my very best French, not bothering to add that I hadn’t quite understood all of it.

‘You’re welcome, Emmy. Nobody knows better than I do that our marriage ceremony is a little … dry, shall we say? It needs something to sweeten it.’

I smiled. ‘We’re so grateful that you allowed us to get married today.’

‘My staff and I were happy to oblige, after what happened yesterday. We’re relieved that you found Alain’s nephew.’

I glanced over at Gabriel, who was trying to take off his tie and almost strangling himself in the process. Adrien caught him before he could make it any worse and relieved him of the burden.

My heart stuttered. The knowledge that Gabriel could be Alain’s son, but we might never know, would take me quite a while to come to terms with. But come to terms with it, I must.

‘Thank you, yes. It was a difficult day.’

‘Then you must enjoy today all the more. Am I permitted to tell you how beautiful you look?’

I smiled. ‘Just for today, I’m taking as many compliments as people are willing to give me.’

Bob came over with Renee. ‘Madame Dupont has asked me to take a picture of you both for her room, Emmy.’

That choked me up a little. ‘How lovely!’

As we stood by side, the old lady in her best summer dress (but still in support stockings – no rest for them, even at a wedding), barely reaching my shoulder, Renee told me how pleased she was that I was wearing her grandmother’s earrings, and that she was thrilled to hear Ryan and Sophie’s news.

‘That baby will be a good-looking baby, Emie. Such a handsome father and pretty mother.’

‘It certainly will.’

We posed for Bob with beaming smiles. Afterwards, as she lifted a hand to my cheek and told me how beautiful I looked and how happy she was for me, I heard Bob’s camera click. And I knew that was the shot that I would love, of me and this indomitable old lady who had been my no-nonsense mentor and friend for over a year now.

‘Emmy.’

I turned to find Sabine at my shoulder. ‘Oh. Er. Hi.’

Bob and Renee exchanged a glance and scarpered while the going was good.

Sabine managed a tentative smile. ‘You look lovely.’

‘Thank you. So do you.’ And it was true. Her plain navy shift dress, cut above the knee, teamed with high navy and white heels, emphasised her tall, slim figure. For a brief moment, I wondered how she’d looked on the day she married Alain. He’d never spoken about it or shown me photos.

I banished the thought.

Sabine pursed her lips in a knowing expression. ‘This is awkward.’

‘Yes, a little.’

‘I thought it would be better for me not to come today – for you, for Alain, for everybody. But the children …’

‘I know. They need you here. You’re welcome, Sabine.’

‘Thank you.’ She laid a hand on my arm. ‘Emmy, I want to thank you again for finding Gabriel. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t.’ A tear escaped down her rouged cheek. ‘I’m so sorry for the trouble we’ve all caused.’

‘It couldn’t be helped.’ I waved an arm at the garden. ‘And it worked out well, in the end.’

‘Yes.’ She lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘This thing with Adrien and Alain. The paternity test? I am so grateful to you and Alain. It will be hard for everybody, but together, we will make it right for the children, n’est-ce pas?’

‘Sabine, I’ll go along with what you and Adrien and Alain have decided. I have no intention of rocking the boat. I’m happy to be a part of the children’s lives in whatever capacity I’m required.’

‘Thank you. I am so sorry that I said what I did. That I set all this off. All this time, I carried the uncertainty by myself. It was hard, but that is the way it should have stayed.’ She hesitated. ‘I am sorry for the extra hurt I have caused Alain, when he has got his life back together. I wish you all the best.’ She pressed a kiss to my cheek. ‘Alain is a lucky man.’ She backed away.

Kate immediately sidled up. She’d been hovering at a distance, ready to defend if the need arose. Kate had had my back ever since primary school.

‘That looked intense.’

‘She was thanking me again for finding Gabriel,’ I told her truthfully. Now wasn’t the time to discuss it further. Changing the subject, I inclined my head towards Patrice. ‘Are you planning on collaring our delectable mayor for a dance later?’

Kate followed my gaze. ‘He is moreish. But I bet he’s a heartbreaker. Besides, I have a different target in mind.’

‘And who might that be?’ Although I could hazard a guess.

Kate looked over to where Nick was chatting with Christopher. ‘Your little brother. You don’t mind, do you? We’ve been getting on so well the last few days, and we have so much in common.’

‘I don’t mind. Far from it.’

We heard a shout and looked round to see Rupert standing on one of the trestle tables. It didn’t look too stable to me.

‘Sorry to interrupt, folks. If you could steer away from the tables, me and some of the lads will fold them away so we have room to mingle and make space for the band. There are plenty of seats dotted around the garden, and we can bring more from the house. Thanks.’

Rupert, Ryan, Nick, Adrien and a couple of Alain’s mates set to, while Kate and I looked on and hoped they wouldn’t ruin their suits.

The wait staff, presumably having magicked all the dishes into boxes and stashed them somewhere out of sight, were mingling with drinks again.

A van squeezed its way into the courtyard and the band began to unload. Alain went over to greet them and received handshakes and hearty pats on the back.

‘Did you say they’d played here before?’ Kate asked.

‘Yes, for that anniversary party last year.’

‘And didn’t you say Alain played with them?’

‘Yes, but only because one of them was sick and he had to stand in. As Rupert said, he’s not one for playing in front of people he knows.’

‘Shame. Bet that man of yours looks sexy, playing the sax.’

‘You betcha.’

The band set up on the patio and began to play mellow jazz. As the light faded, fairy lights twinkled in the bushes and trees. A light breeze was welcome to those of us with cheeks flushed from excitement and too much bubbly.

I was whisked around the flowerbeds by Ryan, Bob, Adrien – another one effusive with his gratitude for my rescue of his son, and mine and my husband’s understanding – and by my little brother … The whole world wanted to dance with me, and for someone who avoided attention whenever possible, I couldn’t get enough of it.

As my dad waltzed with me, his back straight in the classical ballroom pose his own father had drilled into him, I spotted Ryan and Sophie dancing close, cheek to cheek, lost in their own world of two-and-a-bit. Sophie had said there would be no wedding bells, but I had a feeling they were one of those couples who would stay together for ever.

‘Emmy,’ Dad whispered at my ear. ‘Is it my imagination, or are Nick and Kate getting on rather well?’

I shot a furtive glance in the direction he’d inclined his head. Sure enough, Nick and Kate were dancing together. He was looking into her eyes, and as we passed them, I heard snatches of ‘You didn’t! You told me it was Jez who put that frog in Emmy’s bed’ (I would have to punch Nick for that later) and ‘I always thought your mum’s hot chocolate was the best.’ Childhood reminiscences that gave them a starting point for something more – I hoped. Kate deserved someone who appreciated her for her bubbly personality and generous spirit, and Nick needed to find someone who could stop him endlessly flitting from one girl to another. Perhaps Kate might be the one.

‘As for Aunt Jeanie …’ Dad murmured.

‘What? Where?’ I craned my neck. Aunt Jeanie was dancing with Bob. Not closely, not smoochily, but they were laughing a lot. Kindred spirits? Hmm.

Dad grinned. ‘If my little sister starts coming out to stay a lot once we find a house out here, I’ll be suspicious as to why.’

‘If Aunt Jeanie starts coming out to stay a lot, she and Mum will probably kill each other!’

‘May I cut in?’ Jonathan tapped my dad on the shoulder.

‘Of course.’ Dad bowed out gracefully.

Jonathan put an arm around my waist, and with the other holding his stick, we tottered around on the spot, content in each other’s company.

‘Happy, Emmy?’

I smiled and brushed a wave of white hair from his forehead. ‘Deliriously. And you?’

‘I can hardly complain. I have a good Frenchwoman looking after my every need, and I’ve managed not to croak before your wedding. Dancing with a beautiful bride on a balmy summer’s night takes some beating. Matthew must be smiling down from wherever he is, I’m sure.’

‘I’m sure, too. I wish I could have met him.’

Jonathan smiled acknowledgement, then inclined his head to one side. ‘They make a handsome pair, don’t they?’

I followed his gaze to where Rupert and Ellie were dancing, Rupert’s hand on Ellie somewhat lower than the traditional small-of-the-back position. ‘They do, indeed.’

Jonathan chuckled. ‘I’d never have thought to pair those two up in a month of Sundays. But now they’re together – or as together as they’ll allow anyone to call them – it’s so obvious, isn’t it?’

‘Yes. Unlikely, but perfect. As long as neither of them wants more than the other. But I don’t think that’ll happen, do you?’

‘No. They’ve got to a point in life where they know what they need and want – and what they don’t need and want. I suspect they’ll amble side by side through the years and into old age without even thinking about it.’

We finished our dance in contented silence, and then there was a lull in the music as the band took a well-deserved break, accepting champagne in deference to the occasion.

When the band took up their instruments again, their sax player called out to the crowd.

‘Attention, everyone!’ He spoke in English, his accent strong, then repeated in French. ‘We have a guest performer for you tonight. It will only be one song because, you see, it is his wedding. But he would like to play this one song for his beautiful wife. And so she can know why he has chosen it, and he cannot sing while he is playing – although if you ever heard Alain sing, you will be grateful for that …’ There was laughter in the audience. ‘… I will sing the words for him. The song is an old one, and it is called “All the Things You Are”.’

My mum gave a little gasp of approval, and Dad took her hand.

Alain appeared on the patio with his sax to rapturous applause. He smiled shyly, then brought the instrument to his lips.

The song was slow and beautiful, and the audience stood quite still. I would never tire of watching and listening to my husband play, no matter how rare the occasion: his long fingers on the keys, his shoulders swaying. But to know he’d chosen this song for me, and that he would play it at our wedding, melted my heart into a hopeless puddle of love.

As he played the final notes, Nick put his arm around me. ‘That’s quite a guy you’ve got yourself there, little sis. Makes me feel a bit mushy.’

‘Good. It’s about time.’

When Alain lowered his sax, I rushed onto the patio and glued myself to him, kissing him long and deep, oblivious to the cat calls from those watching.

‘I love you so much,’ I told him – not for the first time, and most definitely not for the last.

‘I love you so much, too, Emmy.’

Happiness is an elusive thing. You can spend a long time searching for it. But when you find it, hang onto it and never let it go. That was what I intended to do. I had my family, old friends and new, a gorgeous place to live and work … and I had Alain.

I was never letting him go.

* * *