Starcross Manor - Christie Barlow Page 0,1

one with the perfect clear skin and russet hair that bounced just above her shoulders. Her figure a perfect size ten, her waist tiny and eyelashes to die for. Not only did Anais have the beauty but also the brains, her grades always top of the class.

Julia was bridesmaid at the wedding alongside their old friend Mia; all three of them had been as thick as thieves through school and sixth form. And last night had been a hoot, too. It was safe to say that when Julia had turned up outside Anais’s cottage, the familiarity of their friendship had instantly fallen back into place and the laugher and conversation had flowed all night.

All the stops had been pulled out for this wedding, with no expense spared. Even though Julia wasn’t fond of the groom, it was still going to be a magnificent day, starting with the horse-drawn carriage to take them all to the church. Anais was a single child, which made it all the more special that her two oldest school friends were there to share her special day.

Carrying on down the bank of the river Julia took a quick detour over the wooden bridge towards a cobbled courtyard. But as she turned the corner, she felt her heart beat faster. A couple of years ago this was where her grandfather’s house had stood, but now the place was completely unrecognisable. At first, happy memories flooded her mind, she pictured herself skipping up the street, playing ball against the front of the house and her grandparents shouting her in for lemonade and fruit gums. But then a wave of sadness hit Julia. Because now, in its place, stood an extravagant hotel with magnificent stone lions on guard at the impressive entrance.

‘The Carter Hotel,’ she read, a five-star rating engraved proudly under the name followed by the name of the proprietor. Flynn Carter.

The man who had provided her with the chance to make something of her life, but who had done it by taking advantage of her. He’d got her grandfather’s house at a steal due to the economic climate, but he’d known he was forcing her hand. Judging by this place he was most definitely a successful businessman and Anais was about to embark on an amazing life with him – clearly, she’d want for nothing.

Anais, who worked at the local estate agents, had met Flynn at work. At the time Julia had been shocked to say the least when Anais had telephoned to tell her she’d met the love of her life, especially when she revealed her new fiancé was Flynn Carter. Anais had been the one who’d held Julia’s hand through her grandfather’s death and she knew how heartbroken Julia had been when Flynn had bulldozed the house. But Anais had fallen madly in love and had gone from being in a relationship on Facebook, to being engaged in what seemed overnight. But as Anais had pointed out, ‘he was the one’, despite Julia’s reservations and surprise at the quickness of it all, and she could only be happy for her friend.

Feeling her tummy rumble and in need of a couple of paracetamols after drinking way too much alcohol last night, Julia began to walk back towards Anais’s cottage when her phone began to ring. Julia rummaged inside her bag and pressed the phone to her ear. Anais could barely get her words out through the tears and gulps of air. The only thing Julia could understand was that Anais was saying that the wedding was off. But how could the wedding be off? Julia’s throat was suddenly dry, and her lungs felt squashed as she broke into a sprint. What the hell had happened in the last twenty minutes whilst she’d been out to grab coffee? When she’d left the cottage everything had been absolutely hunky dory, Mia had been just about to take a shower whilst Anais was packing her suitcase ready for the honeymoon ahead. It didn’t make any sense at all.

Pushing her legs to go faster, Julia felt hot and sweaty and even though her heart was beating rapidly against her chest there was no way she was slowing down until she got to Anais. She arrived back at Tollgate Cottage at a super-speed and flung open the garden gate to the honey-coloured stone terrace.

Hoping for Anais’s sake that this was all just down to last-minute nerves – even though there wasn’t any time for wobbles, they were all due at the