Page 40 of Four of Hearts

‘Never been more ready in my life,’ added Ben.

‘Good,’ said Maragaret, ‘because once the rest of the guests have arrived, Grace and Liz will be making quite the entrance!’

Harry didn’t fully understand what Margaret meant by that.

‘How do you mean?’ he asked.

‘Watch,’ Margaret said, and pointed up the hill.

SEVENTEEN

Harry pinned his eyes on the hill. What on earth did Margaret mean, ‘quite the entrance’?

‘You know anything about what’s going on?’ he asked.

Ben shook his head.

‘Looks like the rest of the guests are here,’ he said.

The tractor appeared once again. As it drew near, more familiar faces shone back at Harry. He couldn’t remember inviting half of them, probably hadn’t.

‘Thought we said this wasn’t going to be a big event?’ Ben laughed.

Harry sighed through a smile.

‘There’s going to be even more at the reception. No idea where they’ll go, though. Mandy was confident everyone would fit.’

‘We’ll all just spill out into the bar, I guess,’ said Ben.

Soon everyone was sat down. All they were waiting for now was the arrival of Liz and Grace.

When they eventually arrived, they did so in a way that Harry, in a month of Sundays, would have never guessed.

A huge, black shire horse came into view at the top of the hill.

For a moment, Harry simply stared, unable to find the words.

‘That’s ... that’s Harry,’ he eventually said, barely able to believe what they were all witnessing.

Leading the horse was Grace’s dad, Arthur, along with his old friend, Phil. Both were dressed to the nines. They were men who’d lived in the Dales their whole lives, and when they did put on a suit, they gave the impression they were dressed for an impending visit by royalty.

Atop the horse, were Grace and Liz, sat close together, both dressed in white, both riding side saddle. Judging by the laughter rolling down the hill before them, they were having the best time. As they drew closer, Harry could see flowers in their hair.

‘How did they keep this a secret?’ Ben asked.

Harry could give no reply. And even as he tried to, something else came into view behind Grace and Liz.

‘And here come the bride’s maids,’ he said.

Jen was striding out, wearing a green dress that seemed to have somehow been woven from the dale itself. In her hand she was holding the reins of a chestnut brown pony. Sat regally on the pony, and dressed to match Jen, was a young girl.

Harry searched for Matt in the crowd. He found him, sat with his wife, Joan, beaming as their daughter, Mary-Ann, rode towards them.

Everyone watched as the horse and pony made their way. Then, as they reached the bottom of the hill, and started to make their final approach, a shadow cast itself over Harry, and he turned to see that Margaret standing over them.

‘On your feet, you two,’ she said. ‘It’s show time!’

Harry and Ben stood up.