‘She is…but I wish she’d settle to something. I truly am pleased to have her here, but that’s another job she’s jacked in. She doesn’t seem to have much staying power.’
‘I think she wants to set up something of her own,’ I ventured tentatively. ‘She has lots of good ideas.’
He snorted.
‘Ideas are all very well, but you need a lot more than that to get a business going, as I well know.’
‘Maybe you could share some of your newfound wisdom with her?’ I suggested, the champagne making me bold. He frowned briefly, then his face softened.
‘Maybe. Have you spoken to anyone else this evening? Coco won’t be back for a while, since she’s offered to settle Theo into bed – it’s late for him now.’
‘No. I haven’t seen my mother at all, but I did meet your Aunt Constance, the roving archaeologist.’
His face brightened.
‘She’s great. I’m glad she’s here. I never thought she’d come to stay for so long, but apparently, she’s writing a book on some cave sites in Belize where she’s been working. She can help look after that donkey as well. Anyway, I could introduce you to a few people if you like?’
Was he so keen to be rid of me already?
I started to slide off the stool.
‘Don’t worry, I’m sure I can find someone to talk to…’
I was interrupted by him unexpectedly grasping my hand and giving me a startlingly huge smile.
‘Please sit down again,’ he hissed through his stretched lips, and I was about to shake him off when I saw Annabel – she of the floral dress and hearty casserole – closing in from the right. She was wearing a clinging red dress with a plunging neckline and looked stunning. Ignoring me, she enveloped Alexander in a Chanel-scented embrace, then put her hands on his shoulders, effectively blocking me out. I gestured to the bartender for another refill; this clearly warranted one.
‘Alexander,’ she said huskily. ‘You look divine.’
‘You look lovely yourself, Annabel,’ he said, trying to peer round her to see me. ‘Have you met Fallon?’
She turned her head to look me up and down.
‘No. Now, Alex, what say we go and put a bet on? I could be your lucky charm.’
‘That sounds like anexcellentidea,’ he said, snatching the half-full bottle from the bartender and standing up, ‘but I’m afraid I’ve promised Fallon that I would show her the…er, the minstrels’ gallery. Didn’t I?’
‘Yes, that’s right,’ I said, startled. Recovering, I added, ‘And what better time to see it than with a party in full swing?Lovelyto meet you, Annabel.’
Leaving her looking utterly furious, Alexander grabbed my elbow and steered me swiftly through the guests to the little space at the far end of the hall, where he drew aside the curtain that covered the stairway.
‘Are we really going up there?’ I asked.
‘Yes, come on, let’s get a breather. Annabel’s a good sort – we’ve known each other since we were little – but she can be extremely persistent. I don’t think even she would dare follow us up here.’
I picked my way carefully up the narrow, winding wooden stairs to where they opened out to the gallery, in which there were a few mismatched chairs and a small, round table.
‘Do sit down,’ said Alexander. ‘You can see quite a lot from here, but people hardly ever think to look up, so it’s quite private. One year the weather was so rainy that they couldn’t do the Nativity outside, so we offered them the Hall instead. The Angel Gabriel appeared up here and made everyone jump out of their skins.’
I laughed as I relaxed gratefully into a chair covered with tapestry and sipped my champagne, letting the noisy chatter ofthe party from down below wash over me. Alexander took a seat across the small table.
‘How are you feeling?’ he asked. ‘Dad told me you’d been through quite a lot.’
‘I’m all right, thank you,’ I replied. ‘My business has grown a bit too rapidly and I wasn’t able to keep up, but I’m going to make some changes and being away for a bit will make all the difference. It was good of you to say I could stay.’
He shook his head.
‘Not at all. Dad is clearly besotted with your mother, and I was glad to open up the house. Theo and I are happy here, but I know we can get rather…insular. Now we’ve got both of you, plus Coco and Constance, so I’ve got more than I bargained for. Thank you again for the help you’re giving me with the Christmas Fayre, it’s made a huge difference.’
