CHAPTER FOUR

      ‘What does she want?’ I whisper to Polly while the others are distracted by Mitch’s wild barks. ‘Did you tell her Ben and Lily were here?’

      ‘What do you take me for?’ Polly adds in a not-very-whispery whisper that has me sneaking a look at our guests to see if they’ve heard. Fortunately Cal has distracted them, although I don’t think he’s noticed Mawgan himself yet. Gulp.

      ‘OK. Sorry but I don’t think it can be a coincidence that she’s turned up at this precise moment when she hasn’t been near the place for months.’

      ‘I haven’t breathed a word to a living soul and I’ve no idea what the little cat wants. She said she had business with you and Cal and when I said you were tied up and she should make an appointment, the cheeky madam plonked herself down in reception and said she’d wait. I had no idea she’d dare start wandering about but I thought I should come and find you myself as I couldn’t get you on your mobiles. The nerve of her!’

      ‘Nothing surprises me about Mawgan any more,’ I murmur, though I’m amazed at her turning up at Kilhallon at this particular moment. I’m struggling to believe it’s a coincidence that our VIPs are here but there is also no way that Mawgan knew they were coming. Then again, it must just be a horrible coincidence … Maybe one of the cafe staff has let it slip that they are here today. I hope not, but I’m going to have to find out. Harry said we’ll need to look at security for the event and it doesn’t look great that we’ve made yet another cock-up this early in the process.

      Cal glances at me. His jaw drops and he mouths ‘what?’ as he finally spots Mawgan too.

      Mawgan wobbles her way towards us, waving.

      Just what is going on?

      ‘Can you take Mitch back to the house?’ I ask Polly. ‘I don’t want the day to get any more complicated than it already has.’

      Too late. Mitch has seen Mawgan too and lets out a low throaty growl.

      ‘Oh dear,’ says Lily. ‘Have we upset him?’

      Ben takes a large step back from Mitch.

      Cal grabs Mitch’s collar. ‘That’s a growl of excitement,’ he says, fastening Mitch’s lead to his collar.

      ‘Maybe you could take him to the house the back way so he doesn’t get too boisterous?’ I tell Polly in desperation.

      With a grim nod, she practically has to drag Mitch over the field away from Mawgan. He doesn’t want to let go of the chance to ‘welcome’ Mawgan but he’s also scared of Polly and, in the end, has no choice but to do as he’s told.

      Cal smiles at Lily and Ben. ‘Looks like one of our visitors has taken a wrong turn and got lost. I’ll go and help her find her way back to reception. Why don’t you let Demi show you the views of the engine house and then go back to the cafe along the coast path for some lunch?’

      Lily huddles into her coat. ‘Sounds fab.’

      ‘Good idea,’ says Ben, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets.

      ‘Is the path safe?’ Harry asks.

      ‘It’s fine,’ I say, aware that Mawgan is only twenty metres away. ‘Let’s go.’

      ‘Woo hoo! Ben!’

      Ben turns round. Mawgan has broken into a trot, almost tripping over in her desperation to reach us. Surely she can’t be a fan of Ben?

      ‘Hellooo!’ Mawgan shouts, waving wildly as she totters across the muddy grass. There’s no chance of us avoiding her. ‘Is it a fan? She seems very enthusiastic,’ Lily says as Harry moves discreetly between Mawgan, Ben and Lily.

      ‘I hope not,’ says Ben.

      ‘I’ll deal with this,’ says Harry.

      ‘It’s fine. I know exactly who it is,’ I cut in. ‘Cal will look after her.’

      Cal reaches Mawgan at the same time as Ben suddenly breaks into a grin. She is only yards away from him now.

      ‘Mawgan? Mawgan Cade? It is you.’

      Ben jogs the remaining few steps to meet Mawgan and throws his arms around her. I don’t know who’s more amazed, Cal, me or Lily. Although I think ‘horrified’ is probably more accurate for me and Cal.

      Ben lets her go. Mawgan’s perma-tanned face is even brighter than normal. Her leopard-print pony-skin boots are thick with mud and she’s puffing like mad but she’s also grinning from ear to ear.

      Ben shakes his head and laughs out loud. ‘Jesus. What are you doing all the way out here, Mawgs?’

      Mawgan gives him a playful slap on the arm. ‘I heard you were here and I was passing on my way to a business meeting, so I had to drop in. I couldn’t possibly miss the opportunity of seeing my old mate, Ben, now, could I?’

      Cal manages to slide me a look of despair before Lily speaks. ‘So you’re a friend of Ben’s? Awesome. Aren’t you going to introduce us, Ben?’

      ‘Yeah.’

      ‘What a small world,’ I say through gritted teeth.

      ‘It is. Mawgan’s a good mate of mine, or used to be until we lost touch.’

      Mawgan’s ponytail has come undone, but she’s grinning from ear to ear.

      Ignoring Cal, Harry and me, Mawgan lets go of Ben and gives Lily a dazzling smile. ‘Hello, how amazing to meet you,’ she says to Lily.

      ‘Her Auntie Georgina used to live next door to us in Penzance. She used to come and visit. Good times, eh, Mawgan?’ Ben says.

      Mawgan winks. ‘The best. Auntie Georgie still lives in Penzance, Ben. She sees your mum every day and says your mum never stops talking about you. I’ve been following your career, obviously, and I think you should have won an Oscar for Knife Edge. You were robbed, not even being nominated.’

      ‘You always liked action movies, Mawgan,’ Ben snorts. ‘Mawgan always wanted to play the villain: Catwoman, Poison Ivy.’ Ben roars with laughter and Mawgan smiles with the closest I’ve ever seen to genuine happiness. Weirdly, Ben’s accent has also changed to pure Cornish, without the transatlantic edge. It suits him a lot better even if Mawgan has inspired it.

      ‘In fact, it was your mum who told Auntie Georgie you were visiting Kilhallon to check it out for your wedding venue.’

      ‘Handfasting venue,’ I say. ‘And what a coincidence that you were just passing, Mawgan?’

      ‘Yes, isn’t it? Though I must say I was very surprised to hear that such huge stars as Ben Trevone and Lily Craig wanted to hold their ceremony here. It’s so out of the way.’

      ‘That’s one reason why we chose it,’ Lily says, ‘It’s easier to keep people away.’

      Mawgan throws her a cheesy smile. ‘Of course. I only thought it was a bit wild and remote.’

      ‘We love that too. We don’t want the glitzy OTT party that everyone expects. Ben and I are homebodies at heart and we wanted to come back to our roots and give back something to the community. We want to be able to say, hand on heart, that it’s a thoroughly Cornish wedding. And if we use local people, it will look far more authentic, which is sooo important. Ben and I are known for our authenticity. Aren’t we, Ben?’

      ‘What? Yeah. We’re totally authentic.’

      ‘So when Isla told us about Kilhallon, we couldn’t resist.’