"Doesn't Rose look amazing Dad?" Daisy asked him as she slipped her arm in his. "She looks so happy."
He couldn't deny the bride looked happy as everyone was cheering.
"I'm so glad I was able to come, I don't think I'll ever forget this." Daisy added.
"It will be something to tell your friends," Alec agreed. "Want to dance with me?"
The music had changed and people were gathering on the dance floor as Daisy led the way, waving to her mother but Rose spotted her.
"Hi Daisy! Enjoying yourself?" she asked the teenager.
"This is great," Daisy beamed at her.
"I hope ya gonna let go of your dad so he can dance with me later?" Rose laughed.
"I am not a very good dancer," Alec admitted.
"Aw, you'll be fine," Rose laughed as Jamie turned back from waving to everyone.
Rose knew Jamie was always one for showing off at any event they went to.
"Now Rose, we've not finished dancing together yet," Jamie interrupted her.
Alec wondered if Rose ever spoke for herself. As the event went on, Alec saw her dancing with her stepfather then some of the guests but Tess was keeping a sharp eye on him. Even though they no longer were together, things could get nasty if Tess put her mind to it.
She would surely spin a few tales at work of how he had danced with the bride, whether it was true or not. It had been bad enough she'd told everyone about Daisy and they were going to be at the wedding.
"Come on Rose, let's get out of here," Jamie encouraged her as people started to leave.
They had cut the wedding cake together and Jamie had said a few words. Alec's mind had been wandering so as the couple opposite were getting ready to leave, Tess said they should go have a rest before the evening event.
"Go find Daisy," Tess told him as she looked around the marquee.
"She is probably with the other bridesmaids, getting changed," Alec replied.
"Oh, are you two staying?" the woman sat with them asked as her husband went off.
"Yes, with Daisy being the head bridesmaid," Tess bragged.
Alec shook his head and went off, not wanting to listen to her. Daisy wasn't in the marquee so he found Jake, who was watching everyone leaving.
"Yeah, they went off a while ago," Jake assured him. "Jackie thought those who were leaving should get changed. She's probably in her room."
Tony was running around outside and saw Alec as he left.
"Want to play with my race track later Alec?" Tony asked him. "Mum said Jamie and Rose will be resting for later."
"Maybe you should ask your dad eh?" Alec told him, not wanting to make himself too at home in the Tyler mansion.
They would be leaving in the morning and he didn't want to get too attached to the boy. He made his way inside, nodding to one of the security team and noticed most of the floral decorations had been taken from the marquee and placed all around the entrance and beyond.
Then he saw Daisy coming downstairs just as Tess joined him.
"Can I stay down here Mum?" Daisy asked Tess. "I don't want to stay in our room."
"Don't get in anyone's way," Tess told her. "Do as Mrs Tyler tells you."
Alec thought he'd be best going to his room until the evening event started, which he'd been told was seven thirty. A buffet was being served for the evening guests in the dining room, Jackie had hired an elite group of musicians for those just wanting to mingle around the vast hallway and dancing taking place in a room that had been cleared.
Rose had protested to her mother about employing outside staff to help, it reminded her too much of when she and The Doctor had gate-crashed a party when she'd been here before.
"Alec, are you having a rest?" Tess wanted to know.
"I may as well stay down here with Daisy," he replied.
He didn't fancy coming face to face with the bride if she were to leave her room for any reason. Not that she would want to, would she? He survived until the evening event guests began to arrive, hoping none of them mistook him for the bridegroom. He was sat with Daisy when Jackie approached them.
"Have you both been looked after?" she wanted to know. "Daisy dear, Rose might want you for some more photos taking."
"Does she want me to get changed again?" Daisy wondered.
"No, you look fine, Rose won't be getting into her wedding dress again," Jackie laughed.
Rose was still deciding what to wear for the evening event. Jamie was hoping she'd make her mind up soon, he wanted to sneak her off for a surprise he'd arranged later. He'd got one of the staff to keep a box of rose petals and some scented candles and place them on and around the bed after red satin sheets and a red counterpane had been put on.
"Rose, just wear the silver sparking one eh?" Jamie encouraged her. "Didn't you buy anything to wear to tonight's party?"
"I didn't have time," Rose replied, holding up the silver one, knowing Jamie didn't mind she was just wrapped in a towel after getting a shower.
He went up behind her as she posed in the mirror, kissing between her shoulders. He'd done very well she'd thought at not getting jealous as other men danced with her earlier but maybe that was because Alec Hardy hadn't been amongst them. Neither had Alec been one queuing to kiss the bride shortly before the daytime event had ended.
Was she a little disappointed after she'd hinted for him to do so? Well at least it hadn't given Jamie the chance to blow up and start a fight she supposed. Maybe he'd stop that now they were actually married, she hoped.
She finally chose the silver dress as Jamie put a wrapped box in front of her, Rose wondering what he was up to now.
"Well open it love," he grinned.
She found the reason why he'd been pushing her into choosing the silver dress as she unwrapped the gift box to find a matching silver underwear set that there was hardly anything of.
"You," Rose turned towards him. "I'll put it on then?" she teased him.
"Need some help love?" he offered with a big smile on his face.
"Come on Jamie, be serious. Mum will go mad if we're not downstairs when the evening guests start arriving."
"Don't remind me. She'll get Alec Hardy to pretend he's me if I'm not careful," Jamie complained.
"What have ya got against him?" Rose wanted to know. "Jamie, he goes home in the morning."
"Sorry love, I know. I didn't start a fight with him, did I?" he asked innocently.
"Did ya see the way he was looking after Tony?" Rose asked him. "I expect mum thought Tony would be near the front and not want to come and join us?"
"By leaving him with my double? Rose, it's a wonder the poor kid wasn't totally confused. She sent him to find me and Tony earlier, what was she thinking?" Jamie wondered.
Rose thought she'd best not admit she'd seen Alec on his way to Tony's play room. It was bad enough her stepfather had said something. They were finally ready to go downstairs, Jamie looking out of the window at all the people arriving.
"Does your mother think this place is bigger on the inside?" he joked at all the cars being parked around the side as what had been Rose's room faced the gardens and fountain.
"My mum loves a good party," Rose laughed as they stood at the top of the stairs.
"Tell me about it," Jamie laughed as well as he took her hand and led her downstairs.
Pete had been waiting for them with Tony and saw them, calling for everyone's attention.
"If everyone will take a drink and raise their glasses to the bride and groom," Pete announced.
"Can I take one?" Daisy asked Alec as a waiter passed by with a tray of drinks.
"I don't see why not," he replied, wondering where Tess was.
Did she want to make an entrance behind the newlyweds? He wouldn't be at all surprised but then he saw her across the other side of the stairway. The couple stood halfway down for guests to take photos, Daisy nudging Alec to get his phone out and take some.
"Haven't you got enough pictures of them?" Alec asked her as people were crowding around the staircase.
"They're all of Rose in her wedding dress," Daisy pointed out to him, Alec not wanting to be reminded. "That silver dress is gorgeous."
"I'm sure your mother will get plenty," Alec assured her, since Tess had got closer. "Where's your phone anyway?"
"Dad, I couldn't use it earlier, could I? Besides, the camera's rubbish," Daisy complained, hinting she wanted a new phone.
Rose was whispering to Jamie that she could see Daisy and wanted the girl to join them so Jamie tapped Pete on the shoulder and told him.
"Daisy, come here and join us," Pete called out to her, Alec giving her a nudge.
Alec knew she should get used to being known as Rose Tyler's bridesmaid for a good while as the newspaper supplements and magazines would be full of nothing else, like they had been weeks before. As the evening went on, Daisy was being asked to join Rose and Jamie when people were asking for individual photos that Tess was complaining she'd hardly seen her all night.
Eventually, she mentioned it to Alec and sent him to look for her when Rose seemed to have vanished as well.
"Leave her be Tess," Alec told her, not wanting to search all the rooms and embarrass himself if Daisy was only dancing.
"Alec, we've hardly seen her," Tess told him.
"She's enjoying herself," Alec reminded her. "Fine but if she's dancing, I won't disturb her."
He wished he'd not gone into where the disco was, it was crowded and lights were flashing around a disco ball hanging from the ceiling that gave him a headache after only glancing around to see if Daisy was there. He supposed she could be at the front but he couldn't spot her so he tried where people were scattered around talking.
He went in the kitchen that had security restricting access but was allowed in and Daisy wasn't hanging around there so he took the turning towards the back of the house, passing a few closed doors until he got to the end where there was a glass door and what looked like a conservatory lit up with blue and white lights all around and potted plants.
Then he saw Rose sitting on one of the Whicker chairs and she turned towards him as he put his hand on the door handle.
"Hi Alec, whatcha doing down here?" Rose asked him.
"I did not mean to disturb you, I was looking for Daisy," Alec explained.
"She's either dancin' or flirting with the fellas," Rose laughed.
"Hopefully not the latter," Alec smiled.
"You have no idea how many times my mum used to tell me to stay away from the boys," Rose admitted. "Doesn't your wife know where she is?"
He wanted to say he didn't need reminding Tess should know where their daughter was.
"She was the one who sent me looking for her," he admitted. "I have to tell you how Daisy looks up to you, she would not dare tell you herself."
"Aw, at her age, I was into all kinds of celebrities. I'm no-one special Alec, I was just a shop girl until my mum met Pete."
Alec suspected there was more to that but let it go.
"I should go look for her," he replied after a few seconds.
"Alec, can I ask ya something?" making him turn back to face her. "Why didn't ya ask me for a dance?"
"You seemed quite busy, I did not want to add to the number of men watching for you to finish a dance."
"I wouldn't have minded," Rose smiled, her silver sparkly dress glittering in the soft lights. "Ya didn't queue to kiss the bride either."
Alec tried not to look embarrassed.
"You had a long queue," he tried to make the excuse.
"I wouldn't have minded one more," Rose tried not to blush.
"I should get going," Alec told her. "Daisy has probably returned while I have been looking for her."
"Did ya try where the disco is?" Rose asked him.
"It was too crowded," Alec admitted.
"Yeah, it would have been compared to the alternative," Rose laughed. "My mum went from one extreme to the other. I just came in here for a few minutes to myself."
"Then I apologise for disturbing you," Alec replied.
"It's okay Alec, really. See ya?" she told him with a smile.
Alec went off but Jamie saw him and went down the corridor, wondering what the detective was doing wandering around, then he saw lights on in the conservatory.
"Rose? I've been looking for you, what are you doing in here love?" he wanted to know. "Was Alec Hardy just here?"
Rose knew what he was up to.
"He was just looking for Daisy," Rose told him.
"Won't she be in the disco?" Jamie wondered. "How did he even know about this place?"
"Jamie, he probably saw the lights were on and thought she was here," Rose replied. "Come on, we'd better get back to the party."
"Yes, let's go dance?" he suggested, hoping Alec was there so he could show off.
What was it that worried him about the detective? It had been bad enough Mickey had turned up but every time he saw Alec Hardy, it was like having a mirrored twin staring back at him. Couldn't the man at least grown a bit of a beard so they looked slightly different?
As they made their way into where the disco was, Rose could see Daisy dancing along to the music at the front so she went over to the girl.
"Daisy!" Rose tapped her on the shoulder. "Your dad's looking for ya."
"This is great Rose," Daisy laughed as she waved her arms around. "What did he want?"
"He probably just wanted to know where ya were?" Rose replied as Jamie took her hands.
"Can I have some photos taken with you?" Daisy wanted to know.
"Yeah, sure. Jamie, get ya phone out," Rose laughed.
After several poses of being silly, pulling faces and standing arm in arm, Daisy seemed satisfied and Jamie promised to send them to her phone before they left in the morning. Just before eleven, Jamie said he'd be back in a few minutes and Rose took the opportunity to sit on a chair in the corner, Daisy following her.
"Daisy, did ya know that poor girl who died?" Rose wondered as she took her shoes off and rubbed her feet.
"No, I think she went to my school but I wasn't friends with her. My parents don't talk about it much to me, well when I see my dad anyway," Daisy answered sadly.
"She almost got to be here today but her mother wouldn't allow it," Rose admitted.
Daisy wasn't taking any notice as Alec was walking towards her through the crowd.
"Sorry, what did you say?" Daisy asked her.
"Nothing, it doesn't matter," Rose replied, trying to get her shoes back on but her feet wouldn't co-operate.
"I'm gonna have to get Jamie to fetch me some more comfortable shoes," she then laughed as she nearly lost her balance but grabbed hold of Alec's arm as he saw her and offered it to her.
He soon let go, hoping Jamie hadn't seen him.
"Having fun?" he asked Daisy. "You should have said where you were going."
"Dad, you should have known I'd be where the music was," Daisy laughed. "I've been with Rose and Jamie."
"Yes, I can see that," he replied. "Half an hour then come and find me or your mum."
"I'm never gonna forget this," Daisy turned back to Rose.
"Sorry, for grabbing hold of ya," Rose giggled to Alec.
"Don't worry about it," he assured her.
He went off, passing Jamie in the doorway. Jamie had been to find one of the staff with whom he'd arranged the surprise for Rose so now, he was going to get her to say goodnight to everyone, lead her upstairs and cover her eyes when he opened their room door.
"Find your daughter?" Jamie asked Alec.
"Yes, she is still with Rose," Alec told him. "She has been here for some time but I did not see her when I went looking for her."
"She was near the front when we saw her," Jamie replied.
Alec went off and found Tess talking to Jackie so he left them alone and went into the dining room to try to get a hot drink. He saw Rose and Jamie pass by the door, Rose was laughing, her arm in Jamie's then Jamie began laughing. Alec wondered if it was for his benefit but they probably didn't even know he was there.