Early on Saturday morning, Cara was the first one to hear the crunch of tyres on the gravel. She looked out of the window at the beach cottage to see a large car pull up.

"Visitors!" she called out. "Who drives a Mercedes?"

Cassidy, whose hair she was attempting to brush, wriggled free and ran to the door.

"Dad and Cindy! And the baby! Caro, Dad and Cindy and Bumps are here! Come and see!"

It was barely eight o'clock, so they must have set out really early from Boston. But this morning, the very day of Andy and Miranda's wedding, everything was excitingly different. Caroline rushed to the door as well, and then recognised the other woman emerging from the back seat.

"And Della, Cindy's Mom. We met in New York." Caroline explained to Cassie, as they both ran outside. This was their first chance to see their new baby brother in person. Geoff was unstrapping him from his infant car-seat, and gingerly lifting him up.

"We thought we'd come out here for some peace and quiet, so Cindy can feed the baby. The centre of town is heaving, and there is already a long line of cars queuing up on the shore road towards the Inn which Miranda chose as the venue. " he explained ruefully to Cara.

They watched two little human pogo-sticks with ginger hair literally jump and down with excitement, as he added, "And I also wanted Cindy and Della to see this place. Isn't it a great little spot?"

"Sure is," said Cara. " It beats the city and I understand now why Miranda and Andy are so keen to keep coming up here."

She led the visitors into the main room. "I'll fix you all some coffee. You must be tired and hungry already."

Cindy took their baby from her husband, and walked him over to the windows. It was all visitors did, instinctively, as the views were dramatic, shining waters to right and left in the blessed spring sunshine.

Della smiled at the twin she thought must be Caroline and asked to be introduced to Cassie, who smiled nicely. Caroline noticed Della had actually changed out of total marshmallow pink into a smart sea-green wedding outfit, and had even reverted to a grey-blonde hair colour from the pink tinge she'd sported on their last meeting.

"What do you think of your new brother? Isn't my grandson a sweetie?" asked Della proudly.

"He's gorgeous. When can we hold him, Cindy?"

"Here, sit on the sofa and you can both share him. I'll put him on your laps."

So this was how Spencer Edgar Priestly first met his sisters, opening his startling blue eyes and focusing up at them. He was now a month old, with his mouth still making little O shapes, and he looked adorable. Geoff basked in the wonder of him. Then he noticed the obvious.

"Where's Miranda?"

Cara raised her eyebrows, and beckoned him into the kitchen with a nod of her head. Obviously something was up.

"What's the matter?" he whispered.

"I'm not sure." Cara spoke under her tongue. "But I think she may be in a funk about the wedding. She went out, so say for a breath of air, nearly an hour ago, and still hasn't returned. She needs to get ready. Time's ticking on. I'm really glad to see you, Geoff. I didn't know what to do. Can you maybe go down the beach and see if you can find her anywhere?"

"Sure, but can I take my coffee with me? I could just do with it to pull me round."

He picked up a full mug and slipped out of the door, walking round the side of the shingled roofed white house, and then strolling down to the long expanse of sands. He looked as far as he could see in both directions, and then saw a tiny still figure almost a quarter of a mile away, sitting alone on the beach. Geoff took a large gulp of his coffee and set out towards her, for as he approached, he could confirm it was definitely Miranda.

She was sitting on a little hillock of soft sand just back from the tide-line wearing sunglasses, and it was obvious she wasn't in a good place.

"Hey girl, what's up? Last minute jitters?" There was no point pretending. He knew her too well.

Miranda said nothing in reply, so he sat down beside her, looking at the pretty little waves, and finished his coffee in silence.

"I shouldn't have asked her." Miranda said, after a long pause. "I shouldn't be shackling her onto me. I will ruin her life."

"Hey, what has brought this on? You sounded fine on the phone yesterday."

"I've just come to my senses, that's all. Andrea is so lovely, so pure, so positive, and look at me, what am I?"

"What are you?"

"A warped, poisonous old witch. I lusted after a beautiful young girl and lured her up to my castle, and now I deluded myself into thinking that by marrying her I can make her happy."

"Darling Miranda, I agree you and I have had our ups and downs, but I know you better than most people, and for longer. No-one is perfect, but you are not poisonous, not at all. You are loving and very kind, and Andrea adores you, inside and out. Anyone can see that. You do make her happy. You make each other happy. I've never seen two people more in love."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes, now when did these crazy thoughts start? Wasn't Andy here with you till yesterday evening?"

"Yes, and we have had a sweet time. Cara has been such a help, and we played with the children on the beach. But Andy's left now to go to her family, and it just flooded over me. The realisation how self-deluded I've been all these months. Her father was quite right in the beginning. I shouldn't be allowed near her, let alone to marry her."

"Miranda!" Geoff realised she needed shaking out of this morbid plunge into irrational introspection. "For God's sake girl! Stop being such a drama queen. This isn't some Broadway play in which you have the right to take the role of the villain. You need to stop. Now. What would Andy say if she heard this nonsense?"

"I guess she's tell me the same as you. That I'm reading from the wrong script."

"Exactly. Now get up and stop being weird. Trust me, if you refuse to marry Andrea, you will break her heart, your children will hate you for at least the next ten years, and her father really will come after you with a shot-gun!"

"You're right. I know. But I feel so guilty, that's all."

"What about?"

"Oh, being me, I suppose. Being so much less than she thinks I am."

He stood up, and roughly manhandled Miranda to her feet as well. She looked somehow little and almost frail as she stood there in her tracksuit and bare feet, holding a pair of flip-flops in one hand. Her hair was frankly a mess, and he could see behind her sunglasses she'd been crying for ages.

"Come on home, girl. You need to realise this is just garbage, feeding on your first-night flutters, and turn the page on it."

"I guess I need to throw out the whole book. I haven't enjoyed the story it's been telling me all night."

"Exactly. Now, walk with me back along the water's edge, and show me how you have the knack of skimming pebbles so they bounce on the water. No-one can do it like you. So teach me. I want to look impressive for Spencer when he gets older."

Miranda smiled a tiny smile at his gentle flattery, and her mind flipped out of depression into starting to look for flat stones. Here, where she'd had her first big breakdown back in early September, she remembered how Andrea's Mom had told her then not to pay attention to negative whispers from inside her head. It was on this very same beach, and she should have paid more attention.

Geoff was right. She was being a drama queen. Today wasn't just about her, but also about making other people happy. If she was a witch and could cast any spells, then she should cast one on herself to dispel all the negative self- doubt. She had a superstitious thought. If she could skim a stone more than three times, then everything would be OK.

"The knack is in a flick of a wrist," she said. "Here, watch!" She picked up her chosen flat pebble, and sent it flying, and they watched it bounce a perfect six times before it fell into the water.

"Wow, what a star," said Geoff, taking her arm firmly with one hand, as he swung his empty mug in the other.

"Now let's get back. Cara will be worried, and those kids of ours want to be in time for Hannah and Harry's wedding. They told me the wedding's going to be in Japanese."

"It might be," laughed Miranda, feeling a million times better than even a few minutes before. "Today anything is possible. Come on, I'll race you back." And so they ran back along the beach together, not like a divorced couple in their fifties, but more like teenagers let out of school early.

Up at the Windhover Inn, the place was soon heaving with happy wedding guests who had all now realised that this was going to be three ring circus, with an open invitation to attend each of the different ceremonies. Mel had expected a traffic jam and had phoned her neighbours who owned a field opposite, to ask if they could provide space for overflow parking.

She promised them she's pay for any damage to the grass, and they'd agreed, even offering their two teenage boys to act as parking attendants. So the line of cars off the main road was gradually shortening.

But then a sixty seater bus arrived as well, and what appeared to be a whole band of musicians poured out. They all had red hair and were wearing green jackets, and tartan caps, looking like an explosion of leprechauns across her lawns. This must be what Andrea had tagged "The Bostonians", who were here really early, and obviously intended to play for the 'Japanese' wedding.

Upstairs, in their parents' bedroom, Andrea and Hannah were prepping for Hannah's big day. She had somehow sourced a beautifully fitted white dress, decorated with a sash of cherry blossom printed silk. Her three work colleagues from Tokyo were all going to act as her attendants, and were getting dressed in their full traditional kimono costumes, even down to the elaborate hair-dos. They were so occupied with this, that they actually had no time to help her get ready, so Jenny and Andy were doing what they could, and soothing her nerves.

"Is Harry where he should be?" she asked, worried somehow that he might decide to take a little stroll just at the wrong moment.

"He's fine," assured Andy. "George and Charles have him in hand."

"You look nice," said Hannah, looking in the mirror at her sister as she stood behind her.

"I know, Miranda's choice of dress, obviously! I'm wearing this to your wedding, then changing into my bridesmaid's outfit for Emily, then changing again for our own ceremony! It's all go. And I have to keep changing my shoes as well!"

"But you're OK with us joining you? You're happy?"

"Ecstatically. Happy as a bird."

Their father popped his head round the door. "My two beautiful daughters!" He looked very smart himself, in his formal grey tailcoat, striped pants and waistcoat, and crisp white shirt. "I'm going down to supervise the children playing outside. Richard and Randall, and little Bobby seem to have been joined by a group of Brazilian kids, and they are all running round the marquees causing mayhem."

"Thanks, Daddy. We'll be waiting for you up here at 10.45."

Andy was relieved to hear that Serena's family were finally at the Inn. It had been touch and go all week, whether her step-mother might take her children all back to Brazil for fear of another cop raid, but Serena had now moved into the Inn, and she and Emily had consoled each other about their less than perfect parents. The wicked uncles were still in custody and definitely would not be attending the wedding though.

Andy looked down from the front windows, surveying the gathering crowds. Her parents had the best suite in the main building, and it gave her a good view of everyone as they arrived. Nigel, bless him, seemed to be acting as general Master of Ceremonies, welcoming everyone. He had gone the whole hog and was dressed as a ring-master at a circus, complete with red coat, black boots, and a top hat.

"Right on!" thought Andy, "You don't know how apt your costume is, Nigel!"

She knew her own brothers and sisters and partners were all safely installed, but she could see now a whole cavalcade of New York's high society trooping in, invited by Serena no doubt, and then she saw some extra faces she recognised.

There were Lee and Gloria, who had taken Momma into town for her promised hair-do, and were escorting her back. Sophia was there with her mother, an elderly Italian woman she would hardly have recognised from the month previously, and bringing up the rear was Sally and Kerry.

"My God! Kerry is obviously pregnant!" laughed Andy. "So another surprise baby is on the way!" For Margot, their elder sister had just told them little Rose-Marie would have a sibling before her second birthday.

She kept her vigil at the window, and was finally rewarded by seeing the love of her life turn up, along with the twins, already in their outfits and looking gorgeous, Geoff, Cindy, little Spencer, Della and Cara. Miranda was wearing shades, and her blue dress looked exquisite under a cream silk jacket.

"Miranda's here. So I'd better go down and find our seats with her."

She hugged and kissed Hannah warmly. "You look lovely, darling."

"She certainly does," agreed Jenny. "We'll see you downstairs shortly."

Andy shimmered down the stairs in her rather high heels and caught up with her fiancée as she was hovering at the entrance to the marquee. "Got you!" she whispered, as she grabbed Miranda by the waist and kissed the back of her neck. "I was beginning to worry you weren't coming!"

Miranda gave a little laugh. "Oh you know me. I kept everyone waiting, deciding which lipstick to put on. And we had trouble getting through the traffic. I think the paparazzi are definitely here somewhere."

"Hence the shades?"

"Yes, of course. Just for now."

Miranda hoped that by the time this first wedding was over, the signs of her silly crying spell might have disappeared, Geoff watched them meet up, and breathed a sigh of relief. His work was over. Now they were together, Miranda wouldn't fall at the last hurdle as she so very nearly had done on the beach. Ex-husbands have their uses, after all.

Harry and Hannah's wedding was as lovely, as poised and as eclectic as they were. The three Japanese friends formed a beautiful if tottering group of attendants, and Richard did his short duty of presenting the bride to the bridegroom with only one or two tears trickling down his cheek. The celebrant was calm, efficient and pleasant, and all went well.

Everyone present at the Inn had crowded round to see them marry, Japanese, Ohioans, New Yorkers, and the seemingly numberless Bostonian McCarthys, they all enjoyed the short ceremony. There was a reading from an ancient Japanese philosopher, and then Harry turned to Hannah and told her and the assembled company he had written a little Haiku to mark the occasion after he had proposed to her in one of Tokyo's many parks.

"Lights through the cherries

Touch your sweet face. My soul leaps

To catch it, blossom'd hope."

Everybody smiled in appreciation, and clapped as the happy couple walked out together.

"What's a haiku?" whispered Caroline to Andy who was sitting between the twins and their Mom.

"It's a little poem with nineteen syllables."

"What's a syllable?"

"Sshh. I'll explain later."

Then, one of the Boston fiddlers started to play a haunting, lilting Irish love song, and Miranda saw Charles join him at the back, improvising against the tune on his cello. They played together instinctively well, and it was lovely, a beautiful setting of "She walked through the fair." It was perfect music as the company dispersed across the gardens, to be offered champagne, and the first round of what would be many elegant little snacks.

Through her sister's wedding, Andy had unashamedly shed a tear or two, but she was also conscious of Miranda beside her, obviously holding something in. Her goddess was unnaturally quiet. As soon as they were outside, she tugged her over to a quiet spot in the garden and deftly lifted her sunglasses so she could see her eyes.

"Why have you been crying my darling? What's the matter? You should have called me if you were sad."

Miranda's eyes were still too bright, but she smiled as she let Andy hug her, and just said. "You know how stupid I can get. I just had a wobble, that's all. Geoff sorted me out. Don't worry."

"I do worry. Of course I do. Are we still getting married today though, that's the million dollar question?"

"Of course we are! Now go off and join the family for photos."

"Only if you will as well. Come on! Honestly I can't risk leaving you alone for ten minutes!"

And she pulled Miranda back to the main group. There did seem to be quite a lot of photographers about. Nigel's pal Gabriel was the main official one, but she knew many guests would also be flashing and pointing. A sea of IPhones went up as they gathered on the steps for a photo call.

If Harry and Hannah's wedding was all calmness and peace, Emily and Serena's couldn't be more different, as it turned out. First of all, the Brazilians were still out in force, so the front row was taken up with at least eight young teenagers and children.

Because this wasn't in a Church, they couldn't get into their heads that they should be, if not silent, at least courteously quiet during the ceremony. There seemed to be a shortage of adult males around, but a whole collection of very elegant ladies were there in very tight dresses, very high heels and very flashy jewellery.

Emily came in, looking like a demure British rose, on the arm of her father. Andrea followed her, similarly elegantly dressed, and took her nosegay of flowers for her. Then Serena came forward from the other corner, accompanied by the towering figure of her father, who looked decidedly tense. She was a tall girl, but he was a good four or five inches taller, very handsome in a heavy, dangerous sort of way, and she had her own small train of little sisters, who were fighting with each other even as they walked down the aisle between the rows of chairs, throwing rose petals.

Their vows were based on the classic old British Wedding ceremony. "I promise . . . . to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part and thereby I plight thee my troth."

Miranda and Andy exchanged smiles. "Isn't that lovely?" whispered Andy. "Who would have thought it of old foul-mouthed Emily?"

"I think her Dad encouraged her. Look how proud he seems of her now!"

The two girls held hands, exchanged rings, and then the Celebrant announced, "I now pronounce you wife and wife." The whole assembly erupted with a whoop of joy and broke into applause, as they exchanged a deep and rather wanton kiss. And to think Emily hadn't even admitted she was gay this time last year!

Then it was the Samba band who started playing to wish them on their way, but just as people were rising from their seats, the noise of a helicopter came whirring overhead. It sounded closer and closer until the noise was deafening and the wedding band was drowned out.

"Those damn network TV channels!" swore Miranda. "I knew they'd find out where we were somehow."

By now, the marquee guy ropes were straining on their pegs, and the updraft from the helicopter blew all the service sheets everywhere. Everyone ran out of the tent, half afraid it would collapse but also curious to see what was happening.

But it wasn't the media to blame. The helicopter didn't have a cable TV company logo on it at all. It circled low overhead and then moved back slightly.

Serena was astonished to find her august father, one of the richest men in Brazil, so he was always telling her, kiss her very hurriedly on the cheek and say in Portuguese, "Congratulations, darling. Send me the bill for whatever needs paying. Sorry, but I have to go now. I can't stay for the party." And he ran for the helicopter, which had landed just behind the Inn, on a wet stretch of sandy beach.

Before their shocked eyes, especially those of his wife and children, the helicopter, with him and his bodyguard clambering hastily aboard, spun up into the air, and before they knew it, all the company saw it disappear over the horizon.

It was at that point that a swat team appeared with sirens blazing in a posse of police cars. They tried shouting, but couldn't easily make their way past all the elderly ladies with canes, small children, Irish accordion players, campy fashion queens and someone dressed as a Ringmaster.

"Excuse me?" said Miranda, in her best Ice-queen voice, as they emerged through the crowds. "What are you all doing here?"

"Sorry Ma'am. We're chasing a dangerous criminal. We've just managed to get an arrest warrant signed," said one of the senior cops. "Does anyone here know of a Signor Rodrigo Ferreira- Olivares?"

Cassie, who couldn't resist, came forward boldly and said, "Oh if it was that tall fat man, he's just left. He went off in a helicopter saying he couldn't stay for the party. Would you like to stay though? Our Mom is getting married to Andy, and it's going to be something worth watching, a really gay wedding!"

Miranda was horrified to find her little girl chatting away out there in front of all the men in body armour and holding semi-automatic rifles. She tried to pull her back behind her.

Sally, looking like a good-looking man, in a tuxedo and boots, thought she ought to offer some assistance. "Sorry guys, the kid is right. I think your bird has flown. I'm with the NYPD. If I'd known who he was, I could have arrested him for you, but he was the father of the bride, so it might have spoiled her day."

"Goddam it," cursed the detective, gesturing to his men to put down their weapons. "Come on, let's leave. There are too many kids here for comfort. Sorry to have troubled you Ma'am." He tipped his forehead to Miranda, and the police officers all awkwardly turned around and gradually disappeared.

"Wasn't that exciting?!" demanded Cassie, her eyes shining.

"No it wasn't, not at all," replied Miranda firmly.

She could see Serena with her arms around her step-mother, trying to comfort her as she rightly had a little scream of fury at her husband suddenly abandoning her. Emily and her father stood by and commiserated.

Well, at least two of the couples were married, and that was something. Miranda realised her own desire for her wedding to be the main event of the day now looked pretty silly. If the evening news was going to highlight any story, it wasn't going to be them at all. But the drama had completely cured her own stage-fright. She realised she was happy, and was going to enjoy the next few hours.

The music was starting up again, this time in full force. Food was circulating, and she could see Mel going round replacing tablecloths and wiping off all the sand which had blown up across her lovely gardens from the beach.

Nigel came over to her through the throng of people. He said, "Well! You couldn't write that into a film. No-one would believe you!"

"I know. But I'm learning now, to just go with the flow, however crazy it is. But can you come and help me change, and make sure Andy is OK, as well? We can comfort the left-over Brazilians later. In an hour we'll be on stage as well, and Nigel, I also need your help with something else,"

"What?"

"I've organised a little surprise for Andy, for after the ceremony, something she's always talking about, and you are suitably dressed for the part!"

They walked into the house together, and Andy, who was indeed preparing to go up to her room with her mother, to change into her own wedding dress, heard Nigel suddenly roar with laughter.

Now what could that be all about?

"Do you need our help, Andy? We are your bridesmaids!"

Caroline and Cassie were hanging round her, so she smiled and said,

"Yes, of course I do. Let's go and find my frock. I can't get married without you!" and ushered them into the building.

Mel met Frieda in the kitchen.

"How's it going in here?"

"Fine dear, fine. What was that noise just now?"

"Oh nothing, sweetheart. A gangster rushed out of the wedding to make a getaway in a helicopter, and a swot team from the Boston police department tried to make an arrest, that's all."

Frieda smiled at her partner affectionately. And Mel told her she was becoming prone to making up fanciful stories!

"When is Andrea marrying the amazing Miranda? I'm taking off my chef's whites to come and watch that, you can be sure."

And they laughed together. It was turning out a really joyous day.