The Grumpy Bridesmaid Read online

Izzy was too excited to eat her supper and far too excited to go to bed.

  “You must get some sleep,” Clare insisted. “You’ll ruin my wedding photographs if you’ve got big, dark bags under your eyes.”

  Izzy went upstairs and opened her bedroom window to get a good view of the huge white and pink marquee that had been put up in their garden that morning. She could see Mum and Dad inside the marquee, setting out place names and vases of fresh flowers.

  “It looks really nice,” she shouted down.

  “Good,” Dad replied. “Now, please go to bed!”

  “’Night!” she called as she jumped onto her bed and wriggled under the duvet.

  Chapter Seven

  Izzy had to be up early to get Crackers ready. When the alarm went off at six o’clock she could hardly open her eyes because of the intense, bright light streaming into them. Blinking, she groped her way over to the window where she gave a loud whoop of joy.

  “Clare, wake up!” she yelled as she raced into her sister’s room and flung open her curtains. “The sun’s shining!”

  The bride struggled to sit up, then, like Izzy, blinked at the dazzling light.

  “Thank goodness,” she mumbled as she slumped back onto her pillows. “My dress won’t get wet!”

  “What have you got on your face?” gasped Izzy as she stared in horror at her sister’s green skin.

  “Oh, it’s just a cucumber face pack,” Clare replied with a yawn. “Now leave me alone to get my beauty sleep.”

  Giggling at the sight of her sister’s blobby face, Izzy dressed quickly then went with Dad to the stable where they found Crackers in a very bad mood.

  “I know you hate being kept in overnight,” Izzy said as the pony pushed his nose against her chest. “But if I’d left you out in the field you’d be covered in mud and I’d have to spend all morning brushing you clean. I haven’t got time for that,” she added excitedly. “It’s Clare’s wedding day, and you’ve got to look gorgeous!”

  Half a bucket of pony nuts soon cheered Crackers up. As he stood crunching his breakfast Izzy and Dad briskly groomed him until his coat shimmered in the morning light.

  “You beauty!” said Izzy as she combed his long, silky mane and tail.

  Crackers whinnied softly and snuffled in her pockets for a mint.

  “Just one…” she giggled as he started to slurp the wrapping paper around the sweets. One sweet was never enough for Crackers but after three Izzy insisted it was time to load up.

  “Come on,” she said, leading him up the ramp and into the horse box. “Time to meet Princess.”

  Dad secured the back door firmly, then climbed into the driver’s seat. “I’ll drop him off and be back as quick as I can,” he said as he started up the engine.

  “See you later,” Izzy called and ran home to get changed.

  Back at the house everybody was in a state of feverish excitement. Sarah the hairdresser was looping Clare’s long hair into ringlets. Susie the dressmaker was giving the bridal gown a last minute press and Mum was deep in discussion with the caterers. Izzy could hear Zoe singing in the shower so she quickly undressed and jumped into the bath. No sooner had she started washing herself when Mum dashed in.

  “I’m next,” she said.

  “I’ve only just got in!” Izzy protested.

  Fortunately Mum was distracted by the doorbell ringing.

  “That must be the florist with the bouquets and button holes,” she said as she dashed downstairs.

  Izzy lay in the bath for half an hour, soaking away the smell of the stable yard. She was towelling herself dry when Dad came back.

  “How was Crackers?” she yelled.

  “Good as gold,” Dad called back. “He skipped out of the box and trotted over to Princess like a perfect gent. Can I get in the bath?” he asked. “I smell of horse muck!”

  “You’d better be quick!” laughed Izzy. “Or Mum will beat you to it.”

  Chapter Eight

  At one o’clock, Suzie slipped Izzy’s fairy bridesmaid dress over her shoulders and zipped up the back before adjusting the delicate silver wings. Izzy’s bare toes wriggled in excitement as she stared at her reflection, hardly recognising the girl she saw smiling back.

  “Hold still,” said Sarah as she carefully pinned the gold-leaf headdress into place.

  “Don’t forget your ballet shoes,” said Mum, rushing in wearing a cream silk suit and a big pink hat.

  “Wow, Mum,” gasped Izzy. “You look lovely!”

  Mum blushed. “I feel lovely in this outfit,” she said with an excited giggle. When a car horn beeped outside Mum grabbed her handbag.

  “That’s my taxi,” she said. “’Bye Clare!” she called.

  Clare opened her bedroom door and stepped onto the landing where she spun around in her beautiful wedding dress.

  “Darling, you look exquisite!” Mum gulped. “Oh, I mustn’t cry,” she said, blinking hard. “I’ll ruin my mascara!”

  Ten minutes after the taxi had driven off, Izzy heard the sound she’d been waiting for. CLIP CLOP CLIP CLOP.

  “CRACKERS!” she cried as she raced out of the front door.

  Crackers neighed proudly as he trotted alongside Princess pulling the open-topped carriage which was decorated with white flowers and silver ribbons. Jim was in the driver’s seat, holding the reins in his hands, looking very smart in a bowler hat and black suit.

  “They’re here! They’re here!” squeaked Izzy, jumping up and down with excitement.

  “Don’t forget your bouquet,” called Zoe, rushing out with their golden posies.

  Dad turned to Clare and smiled happily.

  “Ready, dear?” he asked.

  “Absolutely!” she said with a happy smile and swanned down the garden path looking as dazzling as the fairy queen herself!

  Neighbours, who had gathered at the gate to see the wedding party off, smiled and waved at Clare. Several children fussed around the ponies who stamped their feet impatiently. Jim held the ponies while Dad carefully helped the bridesmaids and the bride into the carriage.

  “All settled?” called Jim.

  “YES!” they cried together.

  Jim climbed into the driver’s seat and clicked the reins. “Walk on,” he said.

  Chapter Nine

  The two little ponies set off down the road to the loud applause of the onlookers. All the way along the route people smiled and children waved as they passed by.

  Izzy laughed and waved back. “This is brilliant!” she said.

  When they came to a set of traffic lights Jim slowed the ponies down.

  “Whoa there!” he said as the lights turned to red.

  Cars and lorries whizzed by in the opposite direction, followed by a big bus which blasted out diesel smoke.

  “Oh, dear,” murmured Izzy. “Crackers hates buses.”

  “I don’t blame him,” said Zoe. “Great big, smelly things!”

  As the lights changed to green Jim clicked the reins but Crackers stood dead still.

  “Trot on!” called the driver.

  Princess tried to move forwards but Crackers wouldn’t budge.

  “He’s scared,” muttered Izzy. “The bus has spooked him.”

  “BEEP!” went a car behind, making Crackers even more nervous. Izzy jumped out of the carriage and hurried over to her pony with her wings flapping behind her.

  “Come on, Crackers, it’s OK,” she murmured, gently tugging at his bridle.

  Crackers shook his head and blew loudly down his nostrils. It clearly wasn’t OK with him.

  “Please, please don’t let us down,” begged Izzy.

  “What’s the matter?” called Clare.

  “The bus gave him a fright,” Izzy told her.

  “Well, it’s gone now,” said Clare impatiently.

  “He doesn’t know that,” Izzy replied.

  The drivers queuing up behind the carriage were getting very agitated.

  “BEEP!”

  “Get a blinking
move on!”

  “We’ve got to do something,” said Jim.

  “He’ll go if I ride him,” Izzy said.

  “How can you ride him – we haven’t got a saddle,” Jim pointed out.

  “I could hop onto his back and hold his neck collar.”

  Jim looked doubtful, Clare looked tearful and the waiting drivers looked furious!

  “BEEP! BEEP!”

  “OK! OK!” cried Jim frantically. “But you’ve got to wear a proper hat,” he said and he fished underneath his seat and brought out a black velvet crash cap. “This should do the job,” he said as he handed it to Izzy who immediately crammed it on over her headdress.

  “Dad,” she called. “Give me a leg up!” Dad descended from the carriage and ran over to his youngest daughter.

  “1, 2, 3!” he said as he cupped his hands together and lifted her up.

  Izzy sprang lightly onto Crackers’ back and gently took hold of his head collar.

  “Come on,” she urged gently. “You can do it!” Instantly soothed by her voice Crackers took one step forward and the crowd behind them started to cheer.

  “Good boy! Clever boy!” Izzy cried as she pressed her feet into his sides to push him on.

  “NEIGHHH!” went Princess, as if to say, and about time too!

  Chapter Ten

  The carriage processed through the town with Clare and Zoe singing, “Please, please get me to the church on time!” At the sound of horses’ hooves people stopped and stared in astonishment at the lovely bride in the open-topped carriage and the fairy in the crash cap.

  “Look, Mum,” a little girl squeaked. “A wedding fairy!”

  With her gauzy wings flapping and her net skirt lifting in the breeze Izzy was having trouble keeping her balance.

  “Not too fast, Crackers,” she begged.

  Sensing her partner was ready to break into a canter, Princess turned and gave him a nip on the neck, as if to say, stop showing off! Crackers immediately responded. With a snort he checked his speed and dropped to a sedate walk.

  “Phew!” gasped Izzy in relief.

  They arrived at the church ten minutes late. Alex the best man was pacing up and down the path, looking pale and nervous.

  “We thought you weren’t coming!” he gasped as the carriage pulled up. “Is everything all right?”

  “We had a problem with Crackers,” Clare explained. “If it hadn’t been for Izzy we’d still be stuck at the traffic lights down the road.”

  “What a good fairy!” said Alex as he reached up and lifted Izzy down. “Better dash and tell the organist you’re here,” he added as he ran off.

  Minutes later the opening chords of “Here Comes the Bride” floated out of the church.

  “How do I look?” whispered Clare, nervously adjusting her veil.

  “You look like a dream,” said Dad with tears in his eyes.

  As they processed down the long aisle every head turned to look at Clare. There was a gasp from the entire congregation at the sight of the beautiful bride in her billowing silver gown and floating white veil.

  Chris gaped at her open-mouthed.

  “You look wonderful!” he whispered as their hands met.

  “So do you!” said Clare gazing at her handsome groom.

  “We are gathered together to witness the wedding of Clare and Christopher…” the vicar said as he started the marriage service.

  It was only at that point that Izzy realised she was still wearing her riding hat!

  The bride and groom stepped out of the church into blazing sunshine and showers of confetti. Laughing with happiness, the couple posed for photographs then ran to their waiting carriage.

  “We must have a photograph with the ponies,” said Clare, as she and Chris squeezed in between Crackers and Princess.

  “Say cheese!” said the photographer as he started snapping shots.

  Crackers nuzzled the bride.

  “Fabulous, fabulous!” enthused the photographer, coming in for a close-up.

  Suddenly, Crackers got a whiff of Clare’s bouquet and before anybody could stop him he started to eat it – leaves, lilies and all!

  “No, Crackers, no!” said Izzy crossly. The pony took no notice of his grumpy-looking mistress, nor of the flashing cameras. He was hungry, he’d had a busy morning and he wanted his lunch!

  It was to be the bride and groom’s favourite photograph, the one they would frame in gold and silver and keep forever!

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