An Extraordinary Wedding: Chic Charlie, #1

By Jane Ellyson

Charlotte is a fashion designer creating her own wedding dress while delivering costumes for the bridal party of an Indian wedding. It's an arranged marriage and the bride-to-be, who is now staying in Charlotte's fashion design studio, is having doubts.

Scott her fiancé, is locked up in quarantine spending time alternately writing his wedding vows and competing in a fitness competition with his sailing crew who are also contained in the hotel. Discovery of paint splatters on her own wedding dress is a first clue that the Indian bride-to-be has been kidnapped.

Humour is ever present in the daily call between Charlotte and her best friend Miranda who now lives in London, is painfully pregnant and is a self-appointed organiser for their wedding. Best-man Mason, married to Miranda, is a journalist, constantly on the lookout for an intriguing story.

Both bridal parties want to ensure that as few people as possible are aware of what's happening in the run up to their big day.

While Charlotte wants a simple wedding, her parents want something special. As a result of everything that transpires, something extraordinary results.

A mystery and a romance with a healthy dash of suspense, culminating in a surprising start to a happily ever after. All set in the delightfully sleepy town of Bangalow in northern, New South Wales, Australia.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jane Ellyson
• Release date: Nov 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9780645135879

Book preview

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY WEDDING

What a treat. I’ve been so waiting for Scott and Charlotte’s big day – all the way through the Northern Rivers series. The drama involved in getting them to the altar was heart-stopping and entertaining. I have just loved this series and Jane is a clever and insightful writer.

Tracie Rodwell

FAMILY TREE

Charlotte and Scott’s family tree

MAP

MAIN CHARACTERS

Charlotte Wyatt (22) Heroine in the series. Founder of fashion design studio at Chic Charlie in Bangalow and Brisbane. Double degree in fashion and digital media. Former model (for ten days) and Information Officer (for ten days) for Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)

Scott Harmon (26) Marine biology degree. Keen surfer. Qualified yacht captain for water craft up to 35 metres. Parents live in Byron Bay. Has yet to establish a home base but owns a 23-metre cutter named Nonsense in the North where he spends considerable time.

Miranda Murray née Harmon (21) Bachelor of Engineering. Recently married to Mason and moved to London. Expecting first baby. Best friend to Charlotte. Sister of Scott.

Mason Murray (25) Journalist at The Independent. Best friend of Scott. Husband to Miranda.

Melissa Wyatt (46) Interior Designer in Brisbane. Charlotte’s mother.

Andrew Wyatt (47) Lawyer in Brisbane. Charlotte’s father.

George Bourne (78) Farmer near Bangalow. Charlotte’s grandfather.

Helen Harmon Bourne (77) Farmer and volunteer at Byron Hospital. Married to George Bourne. Charlotte’s step-grandmother and Scott Harmon’s grandmother.

Jenny and Louis Harmon (45) Run market stalls for organic produce in Byron Bay. Scott and Miranda’s parents.

Sebastian Ward aka Seb. (32). Adventure tour operator. Sailor. Lives in Brisbane when not at sea.

Jason Smith aka Smithy or Jase. (30) House painter. Sailor. Brisbane.

Saanvi Devi (25) Bride-to-be. Digital marketing specialist.

Yazhini Gupta aka Yaz. (22) Creative Arts/Fashion design student undertaking work experience at Chic Charlie.

Kabir Kumar (26) Groom-to-be. Works in family fabric importing business

Rudra Shaan (21) Best-Man-to-be. Real Estate agent in Byron Bay.

1

CHARLOTTE

She froze. her suspicions were correct. The two snakes engaged in a mutually aggressive coiling at the bottom of the ladder on which Charlotte was perched in her grandfather’s paddock, were eastern browns. Deadly and fully engaged in aggressive love making. She would have to retain her position at the top of the ladder, leaning on the mango tree, for longer than intended.

‘Charlotte,’ came a call from the veranda. ‘Scott’s on the phone.’

‘Can’t come, Helen. Waiting for a couple of frisky serpents to move away.’

‘What? What type?’

‘Eastern brown.’

‘Blimey. You sure?’

‘Yep.

‘Should I tell your grandfather to get the hoe?’

‘You know that’s both dangerous and illegal. I’m not at risk. However, I reckon you should call Uncle Miles to do an early slash. Grass is a tad high after the recent deluge.’

‘I’ll tell Scott you’ll call him back.’

‘Ta. And could you put the kettle on.’ Helen gave a wave and went inside. Charlotte scanned the grass for signs of movement and listened carefully. Nothing. Well, nothing snake like. Just the magpies chortling and the occasional gentle mooing of the cows. She turned her attention to the bugs on the leaves. They were her original reason for climbing the ladder in the first place. These new creatures had infested her grandfather’s beloved mango trees. She needed to collect samples to send to the Department of Primary Industries for advice on source, and more importantly, eradication. As she popped the insects into the small specimen container, she could hear a gently thwacking broom against the long grass. Her grandfather, George Bourne, was simultaneously flattening a path through the grass to the veranda and scaring away any recalcitrant oviparous beings.

‘Mating season doesn’t normally start for another month,’ her grandfather said as he carefully scanned the grass. ‘Must be the early onset of steamy weather which made them frisky.’ Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. ‘And speaking of frisky, Scott’s rather keen to have a natter with you’.

‘Anything wrong?’

‘Not for me to say.’

Charlotte raised her eyebrows, climbed down the ladder, passed her grandfather the specimen box, and then sprinted across the now flattened grass and up the side stairs onto the veranda. She sat on a long bench which had been a railway timber sleeper in earlier days, and took off her boots. The view across the front paddock, and beyond to the gently rolling hills, always prompted a sigh. Such a beautiful place full of happy memories. She loved it here. A perfect place for the simple ceremony where she and Scott would make their lifetime commitment to each other in the company of a few close friends and family. Well, that was her intention. And then, as if on cue, she could see her parents’ car turning onto the driveway from the main road.

‘Hello Audrey,’ her father called out through the open car window as he parked the car under a not-yet-flowering poinciana tree. Charlotte shook her head and sighed. Her father regularly assigned her nicknames. Audrey had been a favourite for over a year now since she’d returned from Italy with a haircut, strikingly similar apparently, to the one Audrey Hepburn had acquired when she starred in the film Roman Holiday.

‘Hi Dad.’

‘Where’s Scott now?’ he asked as he stepped out of the car.

‘Sailed into the port of Hobart two hours ago. Was a solid trial run. Good timing. Incident free.’

‘Look forward to hearing about it tonight. What time does he land?’

‘Just about to call and find out.’

‘Righty-o. You’d better give your mum a hug, then make that call, and then we can have a proper natter over a cuppa.’ Charlotte did as instructed, smiling, as she went inside her grandparents’ house, a much loved, federation-styled home which sat on their farm, several kilometres out of Bangalow, in northern New South Wales.

‘You’re kidding me?’ Charlotte said incredulously into her mobile as she paced the circumference of the room.

‘Sorry Charlie-Girl. We knew there was a risk. I’ll still be back home a good week three days before our big day.’ Charlotte’s heel nervously bobbed up and down on the timber floor while she considered the implications of the news he’d just shared.

‘Yeah. You’re right. Plenty of time. You’ve changed your flight?’

‘Will do as soon as I’m off the phone,’ he replied, quickly scribbling a reminder on the hotel notepad.

‘And don’t go overeating in quarantine or you won’t fit into your suit, and Mason will forever call you Squidgy Scott.’

‘And I’d deserve it. And if that were to happen, you’d have to tell the photographer that we only want photos from the waist up.’

‘Yep, Mum and Dad would be thrilled with that.’

‘Are they there yet?’

‘Just arrived. I shouldn’t hang on. You need to change your flight then start writing. With all this free time you’ll have hours of uninterrupted time to work on your wedding vows.’ The phone went silent. Charlotte smiled. She could imagine how awkward he was feeling. He was a man of few words, particularly when it came to emotions. She rather liked that about him.

‘I’m sure Mason will be able to help you if you get stuck,’ she offered.

‘Nope. I can do this. It might not be a traditional sort of vows...’ His voice trailed off.

‘Not-traditional is good. In fact, it’s welcomed.’

‘So how are the wedding plans going, you know, generally? Still going with the simple, small and special mix?’

‘Am attempting to but didn’t realise that this is not entirely my event. My parents keep pushing for something extraordinary, you know as the only daughter, once in a lifetime experience, blah-blah. And Mum is having such fun discussing every detail from the minutia of the napkin patterns to the majesty of the walk-up-the-aisle music. I don’t think I’ve seen her so happy and I don’t want to spoil the fun.

‘Ahh.’ He tutted. ‘That’s…, that’s just as it should be.’

‘They reason,’ Charlotte continued, ‘that we’ve already lost out on having a super special day because Mason and Miranda can’t come.’

‘The international border closures are a bugger. But having said that, my sister’s not experiencing that expectant motherly glow she was hoping for now she’s in her second trimester. Suspect the flight from London would have made her already swollen ankles, explode.’

‘Yeah. I got that sense too. I’ll give her a call during the time I’d reserved for picking you up from the airport.’

‘I didn’t ask – did you capture a few of those critters for the scientists? I know how devastated George’d be if his mango crop took a hit.’

‘Yep. I got the bugs and a bonus show of raunchy snake mating while I was up the tree. It was rather rhythmic and mesmerising.’

‘Lucky you. Maybe they’d been separated for a while and couldn’t get enough of each other.’ Charlotte laughed. ‘What type?’ he asked.

‘Brown.’

‘Blimey Charlotte. I hope you were wearing boots.’

‘Of course.’

‘You must be careful. You know they can climb trees?’

‘They weren’t the slightest bit interested in me and I’m sure they’re paddocks away by now, utterly exhausted, sunning themselves on a rock in post-coital bliss.’

‘That’s a rather pleasant image. Wouldn’t mind a bit of that myself.’

‘The sunning yourself or the other bit?’

‘I think you know the answer to that.’

‘You need to settle down. Don’t want you to go stir-crazy in lockdown.’

‘Too late. I’m already crazy about you and I hope I never recover.’

‘So, you have started working on your vows then? Tell me more.’

‘Tomorrow. I’ll tell you more tomorrow. I’d better let you go and share the bad news with your folks.’

‘OK. I’ll do the best I can. Bye,’ she said softly.

‘Bye.’ Neither hung up, enjoying just being there on the other end of the phone. ‘You still there Charlie-Girl?’

‘Yep. Still here.’

‘Can you call me back in ten?’

‘In ten. Really gotta go now.’

Charlotte rang off and slowly walked out into the living room where her mother and Helen were moving around family photographs on a feature wall.

‘Why so glum, Princess? He’ll be home soon enough,’ her father said as she picked up her now cold cup of tea.

‘Nope. Not tonight. One of the crew has tested positive for COVID so they’ve all gone into quarantine for ten days in Hobart.

‘Nooo,’ Charlotte’s mother, Melissa said with a pained look on her face. ‘Has he told his parents?’

‘Doing that now.’ Resigned looks were exchanged between her parents. Charlotte looked at the photo of her grandfather and Helen’s wedding. Everyone had such joy on their faces. Scott was about four years old and was in the centre of the photo holding his mother’s hand on one side, and Charlotte’s mother’s, on the other. Her father was hugging her mother tightly from behind, and had his chin resting gently on her shoulder.

‘Had someone just cracked a joke when this was taken?’ Charlotte asked.

‘Better than that,’ her father replied as he walked behind his wife and gave her the same hug as in the photo. ‘Your mum had just said yes to my marriage proposal. It was the most perfect moment.’ Melissa looked at her husband and raised her eyebrows. He leant in and kissed her tenderly and Charlotte spontaneously groaned.

‘The perfect moment wasn’t on your own wedding day?’ Charlotte asked, pointing at their wedding photo.

‘Our wedding was lovely, but that moment when she agreed to spend the rest of her life with me, that is seared into my brain…forever.’ He paused wistfully. ‘The evening stars were sparkling, your mother looked amazing and the band was playing ‘Something about the Way you Look Tonight’. We were so, I can’t find the right word. Happy doesn’t quite do it. It was without doubt, better than any Hollywood movie ending. And this is what we want for you