She noticed that Ada wasn't drinking much. While Dimity and the others were steadily getting plastered, Ada was alternating between water and cocktails. Clever. Hecate was doing the same thing. Evidently Ada wanted to function properly the next day. For a moment she flattered herself that she was the reason why.

'Hecate! Hecate Hardbroom! How fabulous to see you!'

A hand clamped on her shoulder and Hecate turned around to see a tipsy Ursula, wobbling in her stilettos.

'Congratulations, Ursula' she said evenly.

'Thank you!' Ursula shrieked unsteadily, draining her cocktail.

'So nice to be invited, thank you.'

'You look great!' Yelled Ursula. She'd cut her hair into a stylish crop since the last time she'd seen her.

'Your hair suits you.'

'Oh thank you. My mum absolutely hated it when I first had it done so I got the hairdresser to chop it off even more' she giggled. She stared at Hecate. 'But you look so good. I didn't even know you had a waist.'

She gestured to Hecate's tightly belted waist. Hecate had arranged her hair half up and half down, secured with a silver hairclip and it was a glorious slinky swishy sight. Ursula peered at it. Was that a tiny lizard on the clip?

'Yes' said Hecate, in answer to her question. 'I took it off a broken brooch of my aunt's.'

'So creative' murmured Ursula. In her drunken state, she almost felt like sliding her hands in that hair. Hecate saw her staring intently and moved slightly away. The only person she wanted to touch her hair was Ada, speaking of whom had just turned around and caught sight of them. She raised an eyebrow but she looked tickled. More of an I see you're getting on with each other at last look instead of something more jealous. But she didn't reckon that Ada was a jealous person. They stared at each other for so long that Hecate didn't realise that Ursula had inched closer and was indeed trying to play with her hair.

'Gosh, you do look pretty. I remember you being such a frump.'

Ada, guessing the gist of the conversation, twitched her lips in amusement and Hecate came to, whipping her head round and nearly knocking Ursula over.

'Whoops' she giggled, having been caught by Dimity and some other woman.

'Take it easy, Ursula' said Hecate mockingly. She would never forget the way that the other woman had treated her, the things she'd said behind her back that she thought she couldn't hear. Oh yes, the broomstick was well and truly removed from her arse, thought Hecate grimly. Except that Ursula would never find out. Which was fine. She had spent too long being hurt by her comments. She'd moved on a long time ago and bullies like Ursula couldn't touch her now. All of a sudden she thought she was pretty? Good. While she wasn't going to do anything with it, it made Hecate feel powerful, to have such a poisonous bitch in her thrall. She wouldn't spend anymore time regarding the bride-to-be. Ada was the person she had joined the group for, the one she wanted to impress and by the look on her face, it was working.

Ada strolled over.

'That was entertaining. 'I'm glad you took her down a peg or two. She deserved it.'

'Precisely.'

Ada was looking at her consideringly. Hecate liked it.