The first room Anabelle showed them was the banqueting room where they would hold the reception. This room was also set out for a wedding the next day. They could see clean and crisp linen on the tables and covers on the chairs with organza bows wrapped around each one. Flowers were perfectly set out in the middle of each, the glasses didn't have any watermarks and there wasn't a single fingerprint to be seen on any of the cutlery.
"As you can see, there is plenty of space for the wedding breakfast and the evening entertainment." Anabelle explained.
"The what?" Ward asked dumbstruck, while Skye simply looked confused.
"The wedding breakfast. It's the meal after the ceremony."
"Why's it called a breakfast?" Amber asked. She also didn't know what Anabelle was talking about.
"It's the first meal the bride and groom share after they get married." Anabelle explained with a smile.
Ward and Skye set off around the room to look at it in more detail while Amber walked the opposite way around the room with Anabelle.
"I like it." Skye said to Ward, who was currently examining an ornately sculpted mantle.
He turned to see the excitement in her eyes and swiped his finger across the mantle. His finger came away spotless.
"What do you like about it?" Ward asked her.
He liked it too and it was certainly cleaner than the last few, but he had told Skye she could have the venue of her choice if she could give him three good reasons why they should choose it.
"It's beautiful."
"That is not a good enough reason." Ward taunted.
"We are getting married, going to be officially husband and wife and that in itself is kind of romantic. A room like this would make the whole thing more romantic."
"I don't do romance." Ward told her in a flat tone.
"I noticed." Skye said with a small chuckle, using her good arm to poke him in the ribs.
"So what do you think?" Amber asked as she met Ward and Skye on the other side of the room.
"I like it. I just need two more reasons to persuade Mr. Grumpy over there." Skye responded, which earned a quizzical look of Anabelle.
"Don't ask." Amber said to her.
"Shall we move to the foyer where we hold the ceremony?" Anabelle asked.
"Sure." Skye and Amber said in unison.
Anabelle took them the long way to the foyer which led down a corridor and she showed them the rooms that would be available for their guests to stay in. She also opened up the bridal suite to show Skye and Ward the room they would have to share.
"Feel free to look around the room, but please don't touch anything as we are expecting someone in here tonight." Anabelle said to them.
Amber hung by the door while Ward and Skye had a look around the room.
"I think this is reason number two!" Skye called from near the four-poster bed. Ward had gone into the bathroom to have a look in there.
"You need point number one first." Ward called back.
Skye went to see what had grabbed his attention in the bathroom. When she got there she saw the bathtub. It was like a miniature swimming pool with Jacuzzi jets.
"Ok, that's point one." She said, thinking she would like the manor just for the bath.
"One down, two to go." Ward said, kissing her on the cheek and making his way back to the door.
As they were led from the bridal suite to the foyer Anabelle gave them some facts about the house and its history. Ward kept his usual stoic face, but Amber and Skye were interested and asking questions.
Eventually they made it to the foyer. As they had been led upstairs to view the rooms on the way they found themselves at the top of a very grand, sweeping staircase that led to the centre of the room. More chairs, identical to the ones in the banqueting hall ,faced away from the staircase in neat rows. The 'alter' was in front of a large bay window that overlooked the gardens and rolling grounds.
"Wow!" Skye gasped.
"The groom, the best man and all of your guests enter from the ground floor, but you my dear will walk down this corridor and enter from the top of the staircase." Anabelle said to Skye.
Ward could see Skye trying to think of a logical reason to give him so he set off down the stairs to let her think. Anabelle followed him.
"What is this whole three reasons thing?" She asked, her politeness giving way slightly to curiosity. She had never met a couple like this before.
"I told her she could have the venue of her choice if she could give me three reasons why we should get married there."
"And so far it's only the bathtub?" She asked him quizzically.
"Anabelle. Do not say this to Skye. I can tell she really likes this place and I know she is not going to be able to provide me with three logical reasons and will be throwing them at me for the next eight weeks, but if our date is available still you can go ahead and book it for us."
"Your young friend has told me that you will all be away working between now and approximately a week before the date."
"Unfortunately that's right. Is that a problem?"
"Is what a problem?" Skye asked joining them at the altar area.
"If we are away working between now and the date." Ward told her.
"That isn't a problem. If you give me some contact details then I can sort out the finer details for you, for example the music, chair covers, clergyman and confirm plans with you. We can also liaise with outside companies such as florists and cake makers to make everything less stressful." Anabelle informed them.
"Please can you guys get married here?" Amber asked.
Skye suddenly felt the pit of her stomach drop.
"How do we know that you will do a good job in our absence?" she asked Anabelle, who rather than look offended, smiled at Skye.
"I have worked here organising and setting up weddings for five years, before that I was professional wedding planner. Also, everything would be your choice. I would just order it."
"Why did you change careers?"
"Arsey brides who needed a swift kick up the behind because they changed their minds five times a minute." Anabelle told her with a twinkle in her eye.
Skye turned to Ward and stuck her bottom lip out.
"Pretty please?" She pleaded, batting her eyes.
"Two more reasons" he said, giving a wink that only Anabelle caught.
"Ok. Here is one. We wouldn't have to organise anything from the belly of a plane, just choose between a, b or c and trust Anabelle to make it work."
"Ok. That's two. You still have to give me a third legitimate reason to get married here."
"This place might be the push May and Coulson need to hook up." Amber suggested, suddenly realising that Ward was winding Skye up.
Ward pretended to ponder the thought for a moment while Skye looked mortified that she hadn't thought of that herself.
"Ok. Let's do it." Ward said.
"I'll get you booked in and I will just need to take some details from you." Anabelle said.