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evening before so we can tidy her up. She’s such a little scrap we can put her in my bed to sleep – sure I won’t even notice her there.’
    So the evening before the wedding I was dutifully delivered into the care of my aunts. A beautiful pink silk dress was laid out on my aunt’s bed, ready for me to wear the next day.
    ‘Bath! ‘said my aunt after I had eaten my supper.
    ‘Here,’ she said to her sister, ‘help me out will you? I’ve still things to do for my big day.’
    My hand was taken and the next thing I knew my clothes were on the back of a chair and I was looking at a huge white bath filled with bubbles. ‘In you get,’ said the younger aunt, not unkindly.

    For a second I was scared. It was so big, surely I would drown in it? But my aunt’s strong adult arms held me tightly as she lifted me in. Soap was lathered over my face, neck and body, shampoo rubbed into my hair, and then with instructions to close my eyes she tipped me backwards. My head went under, my legs kicked out; soap was in my mouth, laughter in my ears. Choking, they raised me to the surface.
    ‘This time keep your mouth shut as well as your eyes,’ they warned me, then under I went again.
    ‘Blimey! Grubby little mare our niece is!’ said a voice I recognized as belonging to my younger aunt. ‘Wonder when she was last as clean as this?’
    ‘You could have flaked bits of grime off with your fingernails,’ I heard the older one say to her sister. ‘Whatever is that mother thinking of?’
    ‘Good thing she ain’t got nits, or you could count me out doing the pinning of her hair later.’
    It was me they were talking about. And knowing the shame of it, it the happiness and excitement of the day faded. Suddenly the arms that held me close now constricted me. The friendly laughter had become mockery and the comments had turned into criticism. I wriggled in protest.
    ‘Oh, come on love, don’t you get narky,’ said my aunt when she saw my discomfort. ‘Sure we’re all girls together tonight, aren’t we?’
    ‘Course we are,’ they both said in unison, and suddenly I was lifted up onto a knee, a fluffy white towel was wrapped around me and my aunts’ arms hugged and petted me. A sweet was popped into my mouth, my hair was given another quick rub, the tangles carefully combed out, then, while still wet, coils of my light-brown hair were wrapped in rags and pinned tightly to my head.
    ‘Don’t spoil it now, Marianne,’ the elder aunt said. ‘You are going to be so pretty tomorrow with your hair all done up.’
    ‘Yes,’ said the other one, ‘a special little girl, that’s what you’ll be.’
    ‘You sleep with your neck on the pillow as well your head,’ said her sister helpfully. ‘Don’t want to lose these rags.’ And with all the excitement I hardly noticed any discomfort as I tried to quell the excitement and sleep. The last thoughts as I finally fell into a deep sleep were ‘Tomorrow I’m going to wear a beautiful new dress and I’m going to be special.’
    The next morning, in a bedroom where the older bridesmaids were fluttering around mirrors and jostling to gain a better view of themselves, my younger aunt took the rags out of my hair, brushed it gently, then pinned it up into a soft roll. Next, new pink underwear was pulled on, white socks went onto my feet that were then slipped into shiny black shoes. I could hardly keep still for excitement when finally my wonderful new dress was pulled over my shoulders.
    ‘Close your eyes, Marianne.’ I squeezed them shut, felt my hair being smoothed back into place. Hands gently took my shoulders and turned me around to face a large mirror.
    ‘Look, Marianne, look how pretty you are!’

    Out of the glass a child I hardly recognized stared gravely back at me. As our eyes met a look of astonished delight spread across her face and I, feeling that joy, felt my mouth stretch into an answering wide smile. That was when they took the photograph.
    The wedding