The next morning everyone was having breakfast together except for Beth, who had been taken a tray in her room. She wasn't to be seen till the ceremony.

Alex didn't feel as bad as expected. Thomas, her valet had awoken her up with a hangover cure he swore by. Billy fared less well. She sat looking a little pale at her food and it didn't help that Kat was loud and excited.

"Bwilly, not well?" She asked her Mother.

"Yes, so we have to be nice and quiet alright Kitten?"

"Yeff Mama." She said turning to grab handfuls of scrambled egg again.

Poni entered the breakfast room with Kat's stuffed bear.

"Papi Poni!" She squealed, forgetting her promise. Billy grimaced and Jo smirked.

"Try and not lose Mr Teddington again Kitten. He was under your bed,"

"Mifer egton! No ost!" The little girl said seriously to the bear.

Lady Grace smiled at her little Granddaughter.

"Come to Grand Mama and show me your Teddy bear."

The little girl climbed up on her lap. "Gram Mama Mif egton fren wiv innie a Pooh."

"Is he indeed? Well Winnie the pooh is fine bear. He likes honey, does Mr Teddington?"

"Uh huh, ooh! Ou no what elf Gram Mama? Papi call Mama Piget!" The friends around the table snorted and laughed, Poni went bright red. Lotty cleared her throat and hoping to change the subject said.

"When are, you going to get ready Alex?" Alex had come down for breakfast in casual clothes for breakfast, opting to get her wedding suit on later.

Alex smiled and said. "I think another hour. I want to be ready so I can have a look at how everything looks in the grounds. There's no rain yet. Hopefully it'll hold off for the ceremony then we can get back into the banqueting hall for the food and dancing."

Alex looked up at Billy's suffering.

"Charlie. Could you ask Thomas to make up another glass of that hangover cure for Billy please?" Charlie was walking round the table filling up the cups of tea.

"Certainly m'lord."

Jo looked at Billy, feeling a little sorry for her now.

"Is there anything I could get you Billy? Maybe some dry toast would settle your stomach."

"Thank you, but I think I'll just lie down till I have to get ready. Could I have that hangover cure up in my room Alex?"

"Of course. I'll have it sent up and have someone wake you in plenty of time to dress for the wedding."

"Thanks Alex."

"I'll help you to your room." said Jo.

"Thanks." Billy said astonished at her kindness.

As they left the room the others smiled at each other knowingly.

They approached her room and Billy said. "Thanks. I'll be fine from here"

"It's alright. Let me help you. Now take you shirt and trousers off and jump under the covers. You'll feel better with another hours rest."

Billy just looked at her, unsure what to do.

"Oh sorry. I'll turn round. Give me shout when you're under the covers."

She could Billy struggling with her clothes. She had no idea why she was doing this, but something about Billy just made her care.

"Okay. I'm under."

Just then, Thomas arrived with the hangover cure. She chugged down the disgusting drink and lay back.

Jo sat on the bed beside her.

"You'll feel better now."

"I thought you'd be giving me a hard time about my illness being self inflicted." She groaned.

"Well. You're allowed to enjoy yourself, it was your friends last single night out, there's nothing wrong with having a good time with your friends."

What she didn't reveal was that last night she had overheard Billy coming home.

Poni was trying to help her to her room. She was stumbling and laughing along the corridor. They went past Jo's room and she jumped out of bed and opened it a crack. She saw Poni trying to pull Billy along.

"Come on old chap you'll feel better once you're in bed. Billy come on my wife will be waiting for me."

"I wish I had a wife! I'll never have a wife! No one will ever love me. The first woman I feel something about and she thinks I'm no good! As soon as I saw her Poni, it was like comets and shooting stars exploding all around her. Like you read about in books! I want her to like me; I want her to think I'm good enough for her. I don't want all those girls. I want Jo Poni! Why am I never good enough for girls like that? No one's ever loved me. Jo Jo's so pretty. She has these eyes Poni, sometimes their green, sometimes a bit blue. Like the briny sea. When she looks at me, I think my heart will stop, when she argues with me, I just want to kiss her to make her stop, but I'm not good enough for her."

"Well maybe when she gets to know you better Billy. Show her you're not a love em and leave em type anymore. Make the effort for her and maybe she'll change her mind. Now come on Billy, or Lotty's going to swing for me!"

They made their way along the corridor and Jo shut her bedroom door. Her heart was hammering, she was astonished.

Jo stood up to leave when she felt a hand grasp her wrist. "Please would you sit till I fall asleep? Please? Tell me about your job, your dreams; what do you want to do with your life. Tell me and I'll close my eyes."

"Alright, I was born in the east end, we were poor, but had a dream of being a fashion designer so I worked a few jobs so I could go to art college. I won top honours on graduating and had offers from a few fashion houses but Hartnell's offered me a position with more freedom in what I could design so I took that. They had a reputation for being a little old fashioned so they wanted new blood to stop the younger women going over to buy at the Paris fashion houses. My dream is to have my own fashion house where I can set new trends with nothing holding me back. I don't think I'll ever get there though it takes a lot of money."

She smiled when she heard a soft snore coming Billy. She stroked her hair. "Why have you behaved the way you have with women when you're capable of so much more."

She leant over and kissed Billy lightly on the cheek.

"Rest well cheeky chops."

She stood and left the room, when the door clicked Billy's eyes popped open. "No one ever thought I was good enough Jo Jo, that's why."

Beth had surprisingly slept well. Laura woke her up with breakfast of tea, bacon, eggs and toast. She had expected to be out of her mind with nerves but she was surprisingly calm. She looked at her beautiful engagement ring, soon to be joined by a gold band, they had picked together, at a Jeweller in London.

She picked up the picture of her father; she kept at the side of the bed and smiled.

"I know this isn't exactly how you pictured my life turning out Daddy, but you should that I'll never find a better or more loving partner in life. I love you daddy." She said to the picture.

There was a knock at the door. "Beth it's us, can we come in?" called her two friends.

"Of course. Come in."

The door opened and Lotty and Jo came in along with an over excited Kat.

"Anny Eth ! It's the eddying day!" She squealed.

"Yes it is. Come up here my little flower girl." She jumped up beside Beth.

"Don't worry Beth, you don't have to panic now were here, we'll handle everything." said Jo.

"I'm fine honestly, I don't know why, but now the days here I'm very calm."

Jo and Lotty looked at each other strangely.

"What? What's wrong with being calm on your wedding day?"

"It's a little strange. I kept thinking I was going to be sick until I got down the aisle and Poni took my hand, and then everything was fine." said Lotty.

"Well I'm fine. So how is everybody downstairs? Is Alex alright? She was a little drunk last night."

"She's not too bad surprisingly. Just excited it's poor Billy that's suffering." said Lotty.

"Willy sick!" the little girl mimed Billy's antics much to the amusement of the three women.

Lotty looked up at Beth's dress hanging up over the wardrobe beside a smaller version for Kat.

"Right let's get started, you get your bath and we'll set out the clothes alright."

Laura came in from the en suite bathroom and said. "Your Bath's ready, Miss Beth."

"Thank you Laura. I'll right there."

"We'll get Kat ready first. Come on Kitten; let's get your pretty dress on."

Thomas was helping Alex to dress. Both Poni and she were wearing light grey morning suits. Alex was currently dressed sans jacket and tie, Thomas was just fastening her cufflinks. When he finished he said. "Are these cufflinks satisfactory for you my lord?"

He stood back and allowed Alex to check her appearance in the mirror. Light grey suit trousers, crisp white shirt and light grey waistcoat, her tie was hanging loose round her neck.

"Very good, Thomas. Could you hand me my pocket watch."

The pocket watch had belonged to Beth's father and she had given it to Alex on their engagement. It was very precious to her.

Thomas attached it to the watch chain on her waistcoat and popped the watch in the small pocket on the waistcoat designed for it.

Poni knocked and came in. "What ho! How are you doing old man? I must say I look very handsome in these suits."

"Very funny, I'm sure your wife thinks so. How much time do we have left?"

"An hour before kick-off it's 11o'clock. The guests should be arriving soon."

They had planned that the guests who were staying in the village would arrive and receive welcome drinks in the banqueting hall, then be shown to the Japanese garden for the ceremony.

"Were in good order then, I want to go out to the garden and make sure everything is the way I want it."

She had arranged for an open marquee area to be set up in the garden in case of light rain.

"Did you make it known that no one was to bring Sally Weston? And that she was not welcome as a partner of any of our invited guests?"

"Yes don't worry! Everyone knows it's more than there life is worth."

Sally Weston was an old conquest of Alex's, who had tried on more than one occasion, to come between Alex and Beth.

"Thomas, give us a fifteen minutes or so would you."

"Yes m'lord."

"Let's a have a seat and a smoke before everything goes a bit haywire." Alex said offering her pack to Poni.

"Well, you ready for this? Married life?"

"I can't wait old friend. Once I get that ring on her finger, I'm never going to let go. I never even dreamed my life would turn out like this. "

"You're very lucky, but you are a thundering good chap, so you deserve it. Just think after lunchtime you'll be sharing this bedroom for the rest of your life."

Alex laughed gently. "I can't wait for that bit. I am given to understand your better half is going to help redecorate this room, when we get back from New York."

"Oh no! You know what that means don't you? We'll have to redecorate as well, because she'll see so many things that she just 'must have!' said Poni imitating her wife.

"Have you told her about buying a place in the country?"

"Not yet. I thought we'd talk about it in Paris. Kat is going to stay with my mother so we can have some time to ourselves. My Mother loves the opportunity to spoil that girl."

"A bit like someone else who will remain unnamed!" Alex smirked at Poni.

"Well what can I say? I'm guilty as charged; my two girls are the light of my life. I hope you get to have the same joy someday."

"I hope so my friend." Foster entered the room.

"Huhm. Sorry to bother you my lord." He looked a little nervous.

"What is it Foster? Is it Beth?" She said standing.

"Oh no My Lord. Its em...well...Norton and his lads have caught a man trespassing on the estate." Norton was the estate game keeper.

"He insists he is family and would be welcome at the wedding, but Norton isn't convinced. He says he is Miss Bentley's uncle and insists on seeing you."

"Argh! Not today! I didn't think he would be that stupid." Alex started pacing, anger pouring off her.

"What do you want us to do Alex?" asked Poni.

She rubbed her face with her hands. "I'm not getting my hands dirty on my wedding day. Foster have him taken to the estate managers office at the stables and see if Tommy and Tiny have arrived at the house yet, ask them to join me at the stable office and make sure Beth doesn't find out he is here."

"I will m'lord." Once he left Poni said.

"What do you want to do old man?"

"Let's get down there. I'd leave your jacket here, Poni. We don't want to get dirty, or Lotty and Beth will thrash us to within an inch of our lives!"

They made their way down through the servant's corridors and staircases. These were built into stately homes so that servants could go about their daily chores without bumping into the family or any guests. On this occasion it allowed them to make their way down to the stable buildings without bumping into any wedding guests.

They walked across the courtyard towards the office. Outside the door stood two of Tommy's boys stood guard outside the door. They nodded as Alex and Poni passed, they entered the office and found Jim Bentley sat waiting on one side of the desk, Tiny's big hands on his shoulders keeping him in place. Tommy stood off to the side.

Alex sat down at the desk, leaned back in the chair, legs crossed in a very relaxed pose. Poni stood behind her, looking very sternly at Jim.

Alex took out a cigarette from her packet and very precisely and slowly lit it, took a drag from it, all the time staring at Jim.

Jim was shaking at this obvious display of power. Even though, Alex had warned him before, Jim didn't really believe that two women were anything to be afraid of. Alex had broken a couple of ribs when she punched him, but he believed he was entitled to his share of Beth's good fortune. Why should he and Ada struggle while Beth was lavished with luxury?

It was her eyes that terrified him. The cold blue eyes seemed to bore down inside him and looked as if she would kill him as easily as snapping her fingers.

Alex set the cigarette box on the desk and sat her lighter very precisely on top.

Finally the long silence was broken.

"Well Jim Bentley. I didn't expect to see you again, especially on my wedding day. I had thought we had an understanding."

"W...we...are going to be family. I thought my niece would need her uncle to walk her down the aisle."

"I see. I understood that, after our last conversation, you thought me an unnatural bitch and your niece a whore. So forgive if I find your new found enthusiasm for your niece's marriage, a bit hard to believe."

Jim's heart was hammering, his breathing becoming faster as panic gripped him.

"Look fifty pounds wasn't enough! I need more! Me and Ada deserve to be taken care off! If you don't want your fine guests to see your new tart of a wife's embarrassing relatives then you'll give me more!"

Tiny grabbed the man round his neck and Tommy shouted, pulling a knife out of his jacket. "Guv! Let me slice this bloke's bollocks off!"

Jim shrieked in fear. "No! Please no! Get him away from me.

"Tiny! Tommy! "Alex shouted getting them to calm down.

She stood and walked round to face Jim, who was still being held round the neck.

"I warned you what would happen if you ever bothered my wife or me again Jimbo."

"Wife! There is no such title! I'm going to the police as soon as I get out of here and away from these big apes! Just because you have a title, what makes you think you have the right to do this to me! Why should you get away with it?"

Alex bent over and stared into his eyes. "I can Jimbo, because for better or for worse this is the way this country works, there is a class system and I am at the top of that tree while you are at the bottom. I am the Countess of Sheffield and I am the law around here. I have fought for this country and watched good men and women die for it, while the likes of you were dodging the call up. Yes I've done my homework on you James Dalton. Stealing, fraud, the list goes on. As for the police, you will currently find them enjoying my hospitality, while waiting to be guests at my wedding."

She grabbed his jaw and squeezed. "You will get not one more penny out of me, I warned you not to show your face again, well you'll pay." She shoved his face back in disgust, stood up and pulled down her waistcoat.

"I have a wedding to go to. Tommy, could you have your lads take him for a quiet talking to out in grounds."

"No! Please!" Jim shouted. Tiny clapped his hand over his mouth.

"Then put him on a train to...say Glasgow?"

"With pleasure my lord." said Tommy.

She gave one last disgusted look down at Jim's frightened eyes and said. "IF I EVER SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN. YOU WILL BE A DEAD MAN!"

She turned to Poni. "Shall we Poni? I have a young woman waiting to become Lady Dalton. Tommy, don't miss the ceremony."

"Don't worry guv'nor. It won't take long to take out the rubbish."