However, there was no sign of Zara’s bridesmaid.
‘Where’s Rachel?’
‘Not here yet. I sent her a text a few minutes ago and she said she’s got some sort of an issue with her hairdryer and will be along in a minute.’
‘Okay. And Nadia?’
‘She’s having her hair done by her own personal stylist,’ said Audrey, rolling her eyes in disgust. ‘Apparently he’s travelled all the way down from Bristol specially – must be nice!’
‘Except she’s missing out on all the fun, Mum.’
‘Well, thank goodness for that, is all I can say.’
Audrey’s lips twitched and it was clear she didn’t make a habit of talking about people behind their backs, but that she was happy to make an exception for Nadia Jones. She leaned forward to plant a kiss on her daughter’s cheek and Lexie experienced a sharp pang of emotion. She really must book a flight over to Palma as soon as this wedding was in the bag. She desperately needed a hug and a kiss from her mum, and the Spanish sunshine would do her the world of good. However, there was no way she could take the trip without having first spoken to Elliot – if she did then her mother would meet her at the airport and promptly send her back to the departure gate. The following week was going to be very busy indeed.
‘Is everything on schedule, Lexie?’
‘Absolutely. I have a complete set of ticks on every one of Marley’s list, so all you have to do is relax and enjoy the preparations.’
‘Thanks for everything, you’ve been amazing, and the orangery is everything I dreamt of and more. Jason and I enjoyed a midnight stroll over there last night to take a peek and it really did feel as though we’d been transported to the Caribbean. You’re exceptionally talented, Lexie. Maybe you should think about opening your own wedding planning business when you go back to London?’
‘It’s a thought,’ smiled Lexie, not wanting to dwell on what the future held career-wise. A chat with Pierre was way down in third place on her list of ‘things to do when the wedding was over’, not to mention talking to Pippa about what progress she’d made with locating the ice bucket culprit. She still couldn’t fathom who would want to do such a thing, but the reason that had taken top spot was that she now wondered whether whoever it was had some sort of issue with Giselle, the model, rather than her or Pierre.
Her head started to spin with a kaleidoscope of what ifs and she was grateful for the diversion of the door flying open and Rachel storming into the suite, her face like thunder.
‘Wait until I get my hands on that little—’
‘What’s the matter?’ Zara’s face blanched.
‘Oh, sorry, Zara, it’s nothing for you to worry about,’ Rachel assured her best friend as she gave her a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. ‘You look amazing, by the way, so do you, Audrey.’
‘So what’s happened? What’s that in your hair?’
‘That’s what happened!’
Zara and Audrey twisted round in their respective seats to scrutinise Rachel’s long golden locks which glinted beneath the lights of the crystal chandelier overhead.
‘You look like one of those 1970s popstars,’ laughed Audrey, blowing on her nail polish.
‘Not funny!’
‘So what look were you aiming for?’
‘This has nothing to do with me! I jumped in the shower, washed my hair using that coconut shampoo and conditioner you bought me, Zara, then sat down to blow-dry it before coming along here to have it set, just like you told me to, when guess what happened?’
‘What?’
‘The hairdryer was filled with glitter and I got a head full of sparkles!’
Zara burst into a fit of giggles.
‘I bet I know who did that.’
‘Well, it doesn’t take Einstein to puzzle that out, does it? She’s a complete menace! When Dan and I were dating, I was constantly looking over my shoulder wondering what stunt Jasmine was going to pull next. She’s got a bright future ahead of her in the light entertainment business, I reckon!’
‘I’ll have a word with her—’ began Zara.
‘No need. I’ve texted Dan and told him that if anything else happens today, anything at all, well, suffice to say that he’ll be in the doghouse – the cellar of the doghouse – with Hannah. Believe me, there’ll be no more trouble from Little Miss Mayhem.’
Lexie sighed. If only she had waited half an hour, she and Theo would have been spared the whole awkward conversation with Dan, but at least she had the satisfaction of being able to strike them both from her list of suspects for the bridesmaid dress incident – which left precisely no one.
‘Okay, you can use my bathroom, wash your hair again and Dianne, do you think you could blow-dry her when you’ve finished with Mum?’
‘Sure, no problem.’
‘I’ll have to remember that joke,’ giggled Cerys, her soft Devonshire accent causing Lexie to smile. ‘My niece is getting married in the summer – over in Australia – and that would be a great prank for the hen night. I can’t wait to ring my sister later and tell her.’
‘Are you going to the wedding?’ asked Audrey.
‘Sadly, I’m not - the flight is just too expensive.’
‘How did your sister end up in Australia?’
Cerys lowered her eyes so that her dark ebony fringe tickled her lashes, but Lexie could see she was upset about missing out on the celebrations.
‘When the hairdressing salon we ran together in Exeter closed down last year, Nia and Brett decided that the best thing for the family would be a new start in Brisbane, which is where Brett grew up. They love it there; sunshine every day, surfing at the weekends, barbeques on the beach. Actually, if you’ll excuse me for a minute, I just need to pop down to the car for another sheet of domed pearls for Zara’s nails.’
‘Hang on, I’ll come with you,’ said Dianne, flashing a concerned look at her friend before putting the finishing touches to Audrey’s hair with a final douse of extra-strength hairspray. ‘I need to fetch my bigger brushes for Rachel’s blow-dry.’
Chatting animatedly about the forthcoming wedding, the two women left the room and as soon as the door clicked shut, Zara turned to Rachel.
‘What did you think about Nadia’s mood at the rehearsal dinner last night? You know what she’s like – never lets a chance pass when she could be lording it over everyone, talking non-stop about all the exciting things she’s done, the celebrities she’s met, expensive holidays she has planned, the top-of-the-range sports car she’s just bought – but last night she hardly said a word.’
‘And I noticed that she kept sending you strange looks.’
‘I agree,’ said Audrey, her powdery face wrinkling in concern. ‘I did ask her if she was okay at one point, but she snapped back at me that everything was fine so I left it.’
‘Well, there’s definitely something going on,’ said Rachel, narrowing her eyes. ‘I hope she’s not going to be like that today. We all know how much she loves being the centre of attention. You don’t think she’s planning on upstaging you by wearing something totally inappropriate, do you?’