A Vintage Wedding (8 page)

Beth, who’d obviously never had to consider the cost of childcare, took a moment. ‘You make cards?’ she said. ‘Brilliant. You could do bespoke invitations. Hand-painted. They’d be really expensive.’

‘And really time-consuming!’ objected Lindy. ‘I think I’d have to design them and do a few and then we’d set up a production line.’

‘I can write really tidily,’ said Rachel, ‘even have a go at calligraphy.’

‘Between us we have all the skills,’ said Beth, ‘although mine is mainly sourcing stuff at bargain prices. But what’s our schedule? Collect kindling after we’ve had a chat with Sukey, then go and see our Vintage Bride?’

Lindy laughed. ‘That’s worse than Boracic. It makes her sound old. I’ll get her contact details off Mum – Oh, here she is.’

Sarah collapsed on the sofa and opened her handbag. ‘Get me the biggest glass of wine you can carry,’ she said to Lindy, handing her a twenty-pound note. ‘And whatever you girls want. And if ever I volunteer to be on a committee again, shoot me.’

Beth’s phone buzzed horribly early. It was a couple of days after the village hall meeting and she and Rachel had arranged to go and visit their first bride, in her home. Lindy was at home, looking after Billy.

Beth spat out the toothpaste and ran back into the bedroom and just caught the phone in time. She had a hunch it would be Rachel and so wasn’t surprised when her number was displayed.

‘Beth? It’s me, Rachel. So sorry to ring you so early but a job has come up at the last minute. I’ll have to do it. It means I can’t come with you to the farm.’

This was disappointing. ‘Well, never mind. I’m sure we can reschedule.’

‘No need. I’ve arranged it. Sarah will take you, then pick you up later.’

‘That’s very kind of her!’

‘It is, but she didn’t mind because she got us the gig. And she said it was on her way to some other farms she works for.’

‘That’s fine then.

‘It does mean you might be there rather a long time. Is that OK? Sarah thought April would be fine with that.’

Beth blinked. Rachel was being super-efficient. ‘I’m sure it’s fine,’ she said. ‘It’ll be nice to have a day out.’

‘I am sorry to let you down but I don’t want to turn down paying work – it might lead to more. But I feel bad about this morning.’

‘It’ll be fine,’ said Beth. ‘I might have to make some decisions on my own though, about things we haven’t discussed.’

‘We trust you. Now, Sarah will be with you at about eleven. That OK?’

‘Oh, yes. I promised Sukey I’d do her a website so I’ll do a bit of work on that. Then I’ll start designing ours.’

‘Oh.’ Rachel sounded surprised. ‘Have we got anything to put on it?’

‘We certainly will very soon. I want to take lots of pictures of the church and the surrounding area.’

‘Oh, I know. Like when you’re looking at a house on the internet and there are fifteen pictures of the garden and three of the inside.’

‘Certainly not,’ said Beth. ‘Or at least, only a bit. But we’ve got to get an online presence as soon as possible.’

‘I know you’re right. And once we’ve done this wedding we can get April to give us a testimonial.’

‘I just hope we get on!’ Beth suddenly felt nervous. ‘I’ve never done anything quite like this before.’

‘Nor have any of us,’ said Rachel. ‘And you’ll be fine.’

Sarah was prompt and Beth, who had been watching for her, ran out to the car. It was a beautiful winter’s day. Bright, cold, with a blue, sun-tinged sky that made spring seem imminent.

‘It’s lovely having this little tour,’ said Beth, looking out of the window at the countryside. The gentle hills were covered with a mixture of farmland and woods and today the leafless trees stood out against the duck-egg sky.

‘I love days like this,’ said Sarah. ‘I think I almost prefer the trees in winter. I like seeing every little branch and twig outlined. Of course it is gorgeous in summer, too, but days like this are special.’

‘You’re right!’ said Beth, thinking of photographs and the website. ‘Not having a car means I’ve been stuck with places I can walk to. I didn’t realise how much really great scenery there is just a little further away.’

‘But you can drive?’

‘Oh yes. I saved up lots of money when I was working, as a student, but when it came to it, I felt a car was more than I could afford really.’ She paused. ‘Although maybe I should have got one. At least then I would have more choice of jobs.’

‘This isn’t the best area for jobs if you’ve got to walk there,’ said Sarah. ‘Although there is the pub.’

‘I know. I’m starting there tonight. When Sukey heard how much experience I had she said I could start straight away. She is so lovely.’ Beth paused, waiting in case Sarah had something bad to say about her new employer.

‘She is. She has really turned that pub around. She only moved here a few years ago.’

Reassured, Beth went on: ‘Aren’t there any other businesses that might need someone like me? I’ve got skills that could be useful for a small business. You know, I could set up websites, help with marketing, write blogs for small firms who don’t have an online presence but need one.’

Sarah shook her head. ‘Not within walking distance. I’m a farm secretary but I only work part-time and I couldn’t even do that if I didn’t have a car.’

‘Oh well. In the meantime I could help any locals get online so they can send emails, or Skype, if they’ve got computers and don’t know how to use them. That would be for nothing, of course.’

Sarah shot her an approving look. ‘That’s kind. I’m sure there are a few people in that situation.’

‘But I’m obviously going to need a car if I’m going to get a proper job.’

Sarah nodded as she changed gear. ‘Lindy has the same problem. She’d love to do something that gets her out of the house a bit, but with no transport and the cost of childcare, she has to do stuff from home.’ She paused. ‘It would be wonderful if you girls could make a go of your business. Just hearing about it in the pub the other night got me all enthusiastic.’

‘But it will take ages before we’re actually able to make money from it,’ said Beth. She thought for a few moments. ‘We can use Rachel’s car, I suppose, but we ought to have a works van or something.’

‘You’re right. You need wheels. I’ll have a think. Lindy’s never managed to afford one on her own – even with us helping her – but if there was something she could occasionally have the use of to help her get to bigger towns to get materials, deliver things, it would be really useful. There are busses of course, but not at very convenient times.’

They fell into a friendly silence. Beth reflected how nice it must be to be able to just chat to your mum without there always being undercurrents. Beth’s mother wanted to micromanage every corner of her daughters’ lives. It was silly; if she weren’t so bossy she’d see more of them, Beth and Helena both acknowledged.

They had climbed up out of the valley and on to the hill and now the views were more far-reaching, across the Severn Plain to the hills beyond.

Sarah pulled up at a gateway with ‘Spring Farm’ written on it. ‘What amazing views!’ said Beth.

‘You should see them from the farm!’ said Sarah. ‘As it’s not very far, do you mind going the rest of the way on your own? If I come I’ll have to talk to Eamon, April’s father, and it’ll make me horribly late.’

‘No, that’s fine,’ said Beth.

‘I’ll pick you up at three? April will give you something to eat, I’m sure. Sorry this is such a rush!’

Having assured Sarah this was absolutely fine, Beth set off. She wasn’t exactly filled with trepidation but she did wonder what she’d find at the end of the farm drive on the top of the hill.

The farmhouse was just round the corner and there was a young man on the doorstep. He was wearing overalls tucked into wellington boots and dark blond hair that curled slightly.

‘Hi!’ he said, smiling. ‘You’re Beth? Here about the wedding? April asked me to look out for you. She’s just upstairs.’

‘That’s me.’ The young man was looking at her in a way that said ‘interested’. As a barmaid she’d had her fair share of chatting up and casual dating but in spite of his working clothes, this guy had something about him. She smiled shyly.

‘Well, come in! I’ll give April a shout.’ He grinned. ‘I’m Charlie, her brother. I’ll put the kettle on, then I’m off. I’ll leave you to do the girly things.’

Beth stepped into a little porch that led into a large kitchen that was obviously the centre of the house, where everything went on. She could tell no one had done anything about decorating it for several decades and it had an easy chaos about it. An open fire with a cream-coloured, crazed stove-enamel surround flickered, and at the back of the room Beth could see some sort of solid-fuel range. The place was definitely tatty and untidy but it was warm and comfortable and she relaxed a little.

A young woman wearing a dressing gown, with long, curly brown hair round her shoulders, came into the room. ‘Are you Beth? I’m April. Sorry not to be dressed. I’ve been trying on my mother’s wedding dress. I’ll get my clothes on.’

‘Don’t do that!’ said Beth, seeing a solution to a major expense right there. ‘Let’s see your mother’s dress.’

April shook her head. ‘Can’t get near it. My mother was tiny. I know I said I’d diet before the wedding but even if I starve myself I won’t lose two stone in a month.’

Beth was firm. ‘Lindy – that’s Sarah’s daughter: do you know her? – she’s brilliant at making wedding dresses fit, and flatter. And the dress is a major expense in a wedding. If we could use your mother’s dress, even factoring in the alterations, that would save a lot of money.’

April looked pained. ‘That’s what I thought but—’

‘Let’s have a look, shall we?’ said Beth.

Beth followed April up a creaky staircase with faded floral walls, wondering if the house was wonderfully ‘vintage’ or dreadfully out of date, and deciding the former. There were patches where water had obviously come in at some point and the paintwork was chipped but it had a lovely ambience.

It got better. April’s bedroom made Beth think of girls’ bedrooms described in the pony books she used to read so avidly as a child. The single bed was covered by a patchwork counterpane and there was a dark oak dressing table. Rosettes formed a frieze round the top of the rosy wallpaper and photographs of April on various horses covered the walls. Beth loved it. Her own girlhood bedroom had been designed by her mother. Pictures were only allowed on one section of wall and her mother had had a large say in which bands were featured.

‘What a lovely room!’

‘Do you think so?’ said April, surprised. ‘It’s dreadfully old-fashioned but I like it.’

‘It’s gorgeous!’ Beth looked around her and spotted horsey plaster ornaments, odd vases and souvenirs from gymkhanas and holiday destinations. ‘But then I really like vintage things. Now let’s see this dress.’

‘It’s actually in here,’ said April, leading Beth to another room. ‘I just needed to get my hair clip. The dress looks a bit better with my hair up.’

The dress was hanging over the back of a chair. April had obviously put it there when she heard Beth arrive. Beth picked it up. She couldn’t tell what period it was, although she assumed it must be eighties. It was like a coat, with covered buttons all down the front, a high neck, narrow waist and leg-of-mutton sleeves ending with a frill at the wrist. There was a frill at the neck and a sash that could have been done up at the front or the back, Beth couldn’t tell.

‘This is amazing!’ Beth would have said something nice, out of politeness, but she really meant it. ‘Have you seen that programme when the bride has to decide whether to have a new dress or wear her mother’s? The ones I’ve seen have always had awful dresses but this is really special.’

‘I know it is,’ said April glumly. ‘I remember my mum telling me how expensive it was – but I can’t fit into it.’

The buttons were already undone. ‘Let’s see. I’m sure Lindy could alter this and it’s so lovely. It won’t look like it was your mother’s, just fabulously vintage.’

‘I like the idea of having a vintage wedding,’ said April. ‘It sounds elegant. A wedding on the cheap doesn’t sound nearly so good.’

‘Mm,’ said Beth, helping April get the dress over her shoulders. ‘We’re thinking of calling ourselves Vintage Weddings – our little business that sorts out weddings for people.’

‘What do you provide, exactly?’ asked April, in the dress now, but with none of the buttons done up.

‘We haven’t worked out the details yet – you’ll be our first client – but I promise we’ll be amazing value for money and get you a wedding for less than you could do it without us.’ Beth realised this was a massive assumption but why would anyone use them if it wasn’t true?

She looked at April and took hold of the sides of the dress. They didn’t meet over her stomach.

‘I’m so fat!’ said April.

‘No you’re not, at all. You’re healthy and people were thinner in the eighties.’ She considered. ‘This is such a lovely dress we must get you into it. I’m sure Lindy could do wonders with it. It needs a panel or something added to the middle. It fits OK on the arms and shoulders.’

‘I would love to wear it. Dad would be so pleased. And not just because it’ll be cheap.’ April paused. ‘How much would a new dress be?’