The Diary Of Pamela D.

She nodded. 'I guessed as much.'

He frowned. 'You don't seem very much afraid.'

'I'm afraid,' she told him. 'But I have learned that there are some things stronger than fear.'

'Life isn't one of them,' he said meaningly, bringing home to her once again the implicit threat of violence that Albert Askrigg embodied.

'Pamela! Pamela Dee! You're needed!' It was Tessa calling and waving to her excitedly from her balcony.

'My maid of honour beckons, Sir,' she said demurely. 'Methinks it concerns my wedding gown.'

He shook his head ruefully and smiled. 'I still can't believe you went ahead and called that rental company! Your frugal nature shouldn't include your marriage.'

She made a face. 'Theo Dewhurst, if you think I'm going to waste good money on something I'm going to wear only once in my life, then think again!'

He put up his hands in defeat. 'Lord help me, but I'm marrying a miser.' Then, to show he wasn't serious, he took her in his arms and kissed her, long and thoroughly.

'Pamela, wipe that smile off your face and pay attention,' Tessa commanded as she took over sorting through the various dresses. 'Here, stand up and hold this. No, like this, silly! I've got to get some idea of how long it is . . . oh, barf! It's 'way too short. Come on, pay attention! You're six million miles away. I'm going to take my lipstick and do you up like a clown if you don't come back down to earth!'

'Can't I just stand here and be vacantly happy?' Pamela protested.

'Only if you put a sign up on your forehead that says "To Let,"' Tessa said, rummaging through the pile of dresses.

Pamela, feeling very mature at the moment, responded by sticking out her tongue. 'You just wait until you're getting married to Tom; then I'll "accidentally" stick you full of pins while we get your dress right!'

'What makes you think that Tom and I have anything going,' Tessa said evasively.

Pamela gave her a pained look.

'Okay, forget I said anything. Look, this one's . . . no, I don't like this bow.'

Pamela smiled, watching Tessa pick out things that all-too-obviously suited her.

'Oh!' Just like that, they exclaimed together, having found the perfect one.

'I get to wear this when you're done with it!' Tessa breathed, too awed by the dress to realise what she'd just said.

Pamela also was too caught up to pay any mind to Tessa's admission. 'How did they sew all those tiny little white beads into it? Look, this is all embroidery work . . . done by hand . . . '