Free Colin Meets an Emu by Merv Lambert Page B

little dog had sat quietly on his knee. Only the bride and groom, Auntie Flo, Jilly and Billy were aware of M. Of course he had been invited but with a warning not to try to play his guitar or saxophone. He stood proudly next to Jilly throughout the ceremony.
    The most unusual thing about the wedding, however, had been a brainwave of Colin’s. Realising that the Sherwood outlaws would look out of place in their Lincoln green outfits, he had arranged that all the guests should wear fancy dress. As a librarian he had of course read a lot of the books of Charles Dickens and he had been inspired by the description of the actors’ wedding in ‘Nicholas Nickleby’. The fancy dress code would not apply to Olivia, the bride, Colin, the groom, nor to the bridesmaids, Jilly and her cousin Amanda, but Auntie Flo was going as the Queen of Sheba and Billy was also to wear Lincoln green so that he could sit at the outlaws’ table and help them. Although forewarned, the vicar was surprised by the large number of imaginative and colourful outfits he saw in front of him in his church. He raised an eyebrow and smiled because it was such a joyful occasion. Mr. Jellysox, Colin’s best man, could have been described as best Red Indian chieftain. A big liquorice allsort was sitting next to someone dressed as Donald Duck and a coalminer complete with helmet and lamp was holding hands with a princess. A man dressed as a witch was sitting next to his wife, who was decked out as an apple-tree. Everywhere he looked the vicar saw children dressed as animals with face-paint, including several tigers, rabbits and even an elephant. There was a young woman dressed as a lettuce and her boyfriend was a caterpillar. Billy and Jilly’s mum was dressed as a glamorous lady from a western film with a voluminous green silk dress and their dad was a cowboy, looking a little like a plump Clint Eastwood. He was not the only cowboy. Olivia’s dad was a proud Buffalo Bill.
    â€œWell,” said the vicar, as he looked round the congregation, “ I’m usually the only one in fancy dress. For once I’ve got some competition!” It was a brilliant remark, which set the tone for the service to run smoothly.
    When the vicar declared, “Colin and Olivia, I hereby pronounce you in the sight of God man and wife. You may kiss the bride,” the bookmark in the top pocket of Colin’s jacket gave out a very special warm glow. It seemed to reach everyone present. All were happy and smiling.
    Before long they were outside the church in the bright sunshine. Sammy ran around happily from guest to guest and even posed to have his photograph taken with a small girl, who put her sunglasses on his nose.
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    Meanwhile the official photographer was organising everyone for the main photographs and Mr. Burton, Billy and Jilly’s father, was filming everything on his camcorder, but he didn’t see Olivia give M a secret hug. The emu, however, seemed to be otherwise occupied. He was staring goofily at Maid Marion, but Olivia did not notice as she handed Marion her digital camera and quickly showed her how to work it. The other outlaws posed for her and eagerly gathered round the other guests to look at their pictures too.
    Olivia and Colin, surrounded by family and friends, were deliriously happy. The bookmark continued to glow warmly, snug in Colin’s top pocket.
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    Half an hour later, the photo session over, Auntie Flo and Billy escorted all the outlaws in the coach to the reception, which Olivia’s father, now thanks to Colin, once again a successful businessman, had paid for as his wedding present to them. He had set up an extremely large white marquee in the park-like grounds of the Robin Hood Hotel. His daughter had suggested the place and her three brothers had organised the rest. Kevin, Darius and Wayne, dressed as the Three Musketeers had helped Billy usher the guests to their seats in the church, and now,