"Get me to the church on time!"

[sue]

Steve sat on the cold, hard church pew, nervously chewing at his nails. His stomach felt like a herd of horses were running about in it. He ran his fingers around the stiff white collar of his shirt, trying to loosen the tightness binding his throat and regretting the choice of the velvet suit on such a warm summer’s day.

Glancing at his watch, Steve stood up and looked down the aisle at the church doorway.
“You’re not thinking of making a quick getaway, are yer mate.”  Ron rose from the pew and caught Steve by the arm.

“Er....no.  Do you think Dora’s changed her mind, though?” Steve asked anxiously.

“’Ere, don’t worry Steve. She’ll be here, she adores you, mate. It’s her wish come true to marry you. She’s still a few minutes to go and besides it’s a bride’s prerogative to be a little late.” Ron gave a cheeky grin, instantly putting Steve at his ease.

Just then the organist started up with the Wedding march and Dora, holding on to her father’s arm appeared at the church entrance. Steve let out a sigh of relief and a broad smile a lightened his face. She looked so graceful and elegant in her white bridal gown as she glided down the aisle towards him. Cleo, Callie and Hazel followed dressed in gorgeous flowered dresses with flowers in their hair.  Stopping next to him, Dora turned and smiled lovingly at Steve as she removed her veil. Steve took a sharp intake of breath as he marvelled at how beautiful she looked. He was a very lucky man, indeed.

The wedding went without a hitch, even Prudence managed to smile for the photographs. She was also persuaded to give Steve a kiss on the cheek, as a welcome to the family.

At the reception, which was held at the Colonel’s large mansion, Dora and Steve took to the floor for the first dance.  Dancing cheek to cheek, Dora could no longer hold back her news and whispered into Steve’s ear of the forthcoming addition to their newly married life. Steve stopped abruptly, and held Dora off at arm’s length. His mouth started to curve and soon a wide grin appeared on his face.  He gathered her up and swung Dora around, then realising what he doing gently placed her back on her feet, letting out a whoop of delight.  There was silence among the guests as they wonder what was going on.

[Jane]

When Dora noticed there was a deathly hush all around them she blushed furiously.

"Shall I make an announcement?" Steve whispered in her ear.

Dora nodded. This was as good a time as any to let the whole world know how happy she was, how happy they both were, about the baby.

Steve coughed nervously as all eyes were upon him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen..um..we have some very good news."

Prudence was looking intently at Dora...somehow she had a sinking feeling she knew what was coming.

Steve shuffled his feet, wiped his hand over his mouth then blurted out "Dora is going to have a baby!"

The room was still for a few moments as the news sank in. Then everyone crowded around to congratulate them, the Colonel shook Steve's hand, Slugger gave Dora a huge bear-hug and Ron grinned from ear to ear.

There was one person in the room, however, who didn't congratulate them.

[Sabrina]

Cleo felt the blood run from her face - a very weird sensation indeed, as if she had walked into a block of ice. She'd tried her best to be happy today for Dora and Steve, but at Steve's announcement she turned to stone. Not for worlds could she raise the champagne glass and drink a toast to the three of them, baby included.

It was too much! Dora had it all! First Steve, who was simply the loveliest guy Cleo had ever met, but now she was having his baby. Tears of self-pity tingled in her eyes. For a baby was something Cleo could never have: a regular checkup had revealed an abnormality which was untreatable.

"Are you okay?" whispered Callie, touching Cleo on the arm.

"Oh...oh yes, of course." Cleo tried to smile convincingly. "I'm just so happy for them." She carefully wiped at her eyes.

"Good, so am I." Callie, away from the careful eyes of her mother and the Colonel, poured herself another brimming glass of champagne to the astonishment of the waiter, and gulped half of it at once. She stifled a burp and the waiter pretended not to notice.

Cleo slipped away on the pretext of finding the loo and fixing her eye makeup, and when she was sure Callie had joined the throng around Dora and Steve, doubled back and crept out the door to where the carriage stood, and two white horses were content with nosebags.

A rough jolt could do it. A fall from a horse - or a carriage - and there'd be no baby. Cleo had read enough historical romances to know.

The carriage driver was nowhere to be seen. He was probably enjoying dinner and a pint in the kitchen with the staff. Cleo looked about wildly, anxious that she could do what she had to before anyone saw her.

Her eyes swept across the garden, which had been coaxed to perfection for the day. Just around the corner she found what she had been looking for, and broke two sharp little twigs from the holly bush.

Carefully she approached the carriage horses, who were more interested in their nosebags that what she had in her hands. One of them stamped his foot as she pushed a holly twig under the traces on his back, but the other merely kept munching, his sweet oaty breath gusting out of the nosebag.

"I'm sorry," Cleo told the horses. "I hope it doesn't really hurt you, but I hope it makes you bolt."

And with that she crept undetected back to the reception and picked up her champagne glass. This time, she drank deeply.

[timb9095]

Cleo continued to drink more and more champagne until she was really quite tipsy.

'Just one more for the road' she mumbled to herself and promptly grabbed another glassful as a wine waiter walked by but , in the process, overbalanced and fell flat on her face into a table of very creamy desserts.

Everyone turned around to see what had caused the crash. Cleo slowly got up and, as she became upright, a large blob of cream dripped off the end of her nose.

'What you all lookin' at ?' she screamed and staggered off into the gardens. She quickly found a spot where she was completely hidden and sat down on the ground leaning against a tree.

Cleo dozed off in no time into a drunken sleep . An hour or so later Cleo woke herself up by means of an almighty snore. She took a few seconds to realise where she was and what had happened but, oh dear, the headache!!. She got to her feet and headed back to the Colonel's house only to find it completely quiet.

Suddenly, Cleo remembered what she had done to the horses pulling Steve and Dora's carriage. No sign of it anywhere and she presumed, quite correctly , that the newly weds had departed in it.

Cleo went ashen at the the thought of what may have happened to Steve and Dora, and their baby, and promptly sett off down the long drive to the main road in a vain hope to find them. Despite her jealousy , in the cold light of day she did not wish them harm. She realised that alcohol  had got the better of her at the reception and brought out her nasty side.

Cleo had been walking on the main road for more than two hours when she noticed in the distance that a horse drawn carriage was approaching her. She so hoped it was Steve and Dora and, as it drew nearer, the white horses pulling it became instantly recognisable.

Cleo ran towards the carriage waving her arms frantically trying to get them to stop, and explain what she had done in the hope that she maybe forgiven.

Steve was driving the rig steadily when he noticed Cleo in the distance running towards them waving her arms and screaming like banshee.

' Thats where she's got to , is it. Heck Dora, she was absolutely sozzled at our reception. I, for one, was quite taken aback by what happened. Anyhow, she's been found and all seems ok', said Steve.

'I suppose so' said Dora in a matter of fact manner, 'but I wish she wouldn't wave her arms and scream so much. She'll spook the horses.'

Indeed, Cleo continued her actions until she was virtually stood next to the horses and Dora had to tell her to stop. The  horses were disturbed by Cleo and at the moment that she was next to them, one of the sprigs of holly made its presence felt.

One of the horses reared up in shock and its flaying front legs caught Cleo on the side of her head.

She fell to the ground unconcious.


Timb

[Jane]

Dora leapt from the carraige and rushed to Cleo who had started to groan as she regained consiousness. Steve was desperately trying to calm the aggitated horses.

Cleo opened her eyes and felt a pang of guilt as she stared at Dora's concerned face. What had she been thinking of, trying to hurt her friend like that? The drinking would have to stop if she was going to behave like this she thought. She groaned again as she tried to sit up and her head felt like it was going to explode.

"Steady on Cleo" said Dora. "Luckily it was only a glancing blow, and the horse didn't kick your head in totally. Come on, we'll get you in the carraige and take you to follyfoot. Slugger will look after you until the Doctor arrives."

Steve had calmed the horses down but it was clear they were still upset.

"Dora, there's something you should know" mumbled Cleo.

"What is it ?" Dora started to think she wasn't going to like what she heard.

"I was so jealous of you and Steve. I lost my head when I heard about the baby. So I put....." she stopped abruptly as she noticed steve was now listening. "Go on" Steve snapped.

"Well I put Holly under the traces" she finished in a rush. And then burst into tears.

Steve's face darkened and he started shouting at Cleo. "You stupid girl, don't you realise what could have happened?" And he quickly removed the holly much to the relief of the horses.

"Dora I'm so ashamed. I never meant to harm you really, please make Steve understand" she sobbed.

"Don't worry Cleo, no harm has been done. Give Steve a bit of time and he'll come round. Look, we're at the farm now, you go on in and wait for the Doctor."

Cleo gave Dora a hug and whispered "I wish you both the very best, I am really pleased about the baby honestly."

Dora smiled at her and Cleo looked hopefully at Steve, but he delibrately looked away.

"Come on Dora we must be going."

"Have a lovely honeymoon" shouted Cleo as they pulled away.

[sue]

Dora and Steve lay in each other’s arms, listening to the sounds of the Parisian night. They had spent their first honeymoon afternoon walking the streets of the French capital, taking in the sights and drinking strong coffee at the street cafes, talking of their plans for family life and Follyfoot, before returning to their luxury hotel room, courtesy of the Colonel who had booked the bridal suite for 4 nights as a wedding present.  Steve had been both impressed and proud of Dora as she converse with ease in fluent French with the cafe owners and waiters.  By the end of the day she had even taught him a few basic words and phrases, giving him a kiss each time he tried a new word; he would need a lot of practice, he decided. He would never be able to make the language sound as sexy as Dora did though; this thought brought a cheeky smile to his face.

“You happy?” Steve asked pulling Dora even closer to him.

“Yes, very and you?” she asked sleepily. Steve nodded. “I know the wedding was fancier than we wanted, thanks to mummy’s interference but it was nice wasn’t it? And it went okay in the end, didn’t it?” Dora continued.

“Yeah. No thanks to Cleo.” Steve let out an exasperated sigh.  

“I know but she is very sorry. Thank you for telephoning her, accepting her apologies and for forgiving her.” Dora kissed Steve’s cheek. “You should be flattered that she fancies you, I can understand why she does.” Dora raised her eyebrows and grinned.

Cleo had confessed to Steve, her reason for being jealous about the baby but asked him not to tell Dora just yet. She didn’t want her friend to upset on her behalf and spoil their honeymoon.  She would tell Dora herself when she returned, maybe they would allow her to be adopted auntie to their child. Steve had readily agreed.

“Tell me again why you fancy me.... and say it in French.” Steve asked grinning widely, snuggling down under the covers, where all thoughts of Cleo, Follyfoot and horses disappeared.


The End.