Still weak from the debilitating fever, she couldn’t believe that her stepmother, aided and abetted by James, had gone ahead and booked the church. Hymns had been chosen and flowers ordered without any attempt to discover her preferences. She was seated in her chair by the open window, still trying to convince herself it had been part of her delirium, when Dora came into her room clutching a swatch of material. ‘There’s just your dress to be made now,’ she said excitedly. ‘I thought this cream satin was nice. What do you think?’ Without giving Louise a chance to reply, she continued, ‘And what about bridesmaids? I thought I’d leave that to you, dear.’ Too weak to protest, Louise shook her head and closed her eyes. Pity she didn’t leave everything else to me, she thought. How could they have done this to her? And what was the rush? She really needed more time to think about it. Dora was still talking. ‘Louise, I know it has to be a quiet affair because of your father….’ A small sob and a dab at her eyes with a handkerchief.
