Nova

Nova gripped Arthur’s arm as they walked slowly up the aisle. At the far end, she could see Craig watching her with a look of pure delight on his face. To his left, Pamela was looking considerably less delighted, although whether that was about Nova’s dress change or the unsanctioned, slightly disheveled old man walking her up the aisle, Nova didn’t know, and frankly, didn’t care. She looked away from her future mother-in-law to the sea of faces on either side of the aisle. Most were unfamiliar, but every now and then she’d catch the eye of one of her old London friends, and Nova smiled. God, she’d missed them all.

Halfway up the aisle, she saw Ash and Dan sitting on the end of a pew. When he saw her looking, Ash raised his hand into a thumbs-up, and Nova felt a flood of relief. So, their plan had worked, just like Phyllis had said it would. Nova hadn’t been so confident. Just because Miss Marple always managed to set a trap that would make the criminal confess didn’t mean that Lauren would fall into theirs. Thankfully, when Nova had called Sandy first thing this morning and told her their theory, Sandy had been so horrified that she’d agreed to go along with the plan and pretend that she’d remembered seeing her attacker. And by the look of things, it appeared that Lauren had not only believed Sandy but also confessed her involvement, and that Ash and Dan had got that confession recorded. Which meant that Nova was now officially a free woman.

She smiled at Ash and turned back to look at Craig ahead of her. At some point Nova would have to tell him that she’d entrapped his best friend at their wedding, and hopefully he’d understand, especially now that it had cleared Nova’s name. But for the moment, all that mattered was what was about to come: the wedding ceremony, their vows, and the moment they became husband and wife. Nova felt her stomach twist. She’d hoped that once she got the thumbs-up from Ash her nerves would subside, but she still felt as if she had a swarm of butterflies circling inside her. Still, it must be normal for a bride to feel like this as she walked up the aisle in front of hundreds of people.

As if sensing her whirl of emotions, Arthur gave Nova’s arm a gentle squeeze. As he did, she remembered his words last night. I knew before I even set foot in that church that my wedding was going to be the happiest, most important day of my life. But Arthur’s love story was like a romance novel: beautiful and all-consuming. Whereas Nova and Craig’s love story was like real life: messy and complicated, full of wonderful ups and difficult downs, just like her dad always said life should be. So just because Nova wasn’t skipping up the aisle right now, it didn’t mean that she and Craig didn’t deserve their happily ever after too.

She’d reached the top of the aisle, and Arthur leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

“You’re a very special young lady, Nova, and you deserve every happiness in the world.”

“Thank you,” she whispered back, as Arthur moved to sit in one of the front rows.

“You look incredible.” Craig had come to stand next to Nova, and his voice wobbled with emotion. “If your dad had been walking you up the aisle right now, I know he’d have been the proudest father in the whole world.”

Nova swallowed down a lump in her throat. This was one of the things she loved about Craig; he’d known and adored her dad, just as her dad had known and adored him in return. And Craig was right; he would have been so proud of her today.

“Dearly beloved,” the vicar began, and Nova heard the congregation settle behind her. “Welcome to St Piran’s on this beautiful October day, to celebrate the wedding of Nova and Craig.”

Her heart was still hammering in her chest so loudly she could barely hear what the vicar was saying. Nova took several deep breaths, willing him to hurry up so they could get to the “I do” part and she could finally relax.

“We have a wonderful ceremony ahead of us, with two of my favorite hymns plus a beautiful reading by Lauren, a friend of the couple, who has kindly agreed to step in in the absence of the mother-of-the-bride.”

Nova’s breath hitched. Lauren, the “friend” who’d tried to get her sacked and arrested, was doing a reading? She glanced at Craig, but he gave a small shrug in a way that suggested this was news to him too. So, it must be Pamela’s doing, then. Nova felt a spike of anger and took another deep breath.

“Before we begin, I must ask if there’s anyone present today who knows of any lawful reason why Nova and Craig may not be married.”

There was a pause, and Nova heard a few awkward titters of laughter, as always happened at this moment.

“Wonderful, well in that case—”

“Wait!”

A voice rang out from the back of the church, and Nova and Craig swung round as one to see where it had come from.

A small, squat figure was marching up the aisle from the rear doors, a dog waddling at her feet. The woman was backlit by the outside light so that her blue-rinsed perm looked almost like a halo round her head. Only the words coming out of her mouth were anything but angelic.

“I know a reason why Nova and Craig can’t get married. This wedding has to stop.”