Will was at his desk, making a voice memo on his phone. He looked startled when Grace burst in, followed swiftly by Rachel. ‘Chase Ian for the contracts,’ he finished, looking up and nodding hello, ‘and get Clare to contact the people from MTV.’
‘Grace, Rachel.’ He greeted them with a smile, leaning back in his chair and tossing the phone onto his desk. ‘This is a surprise.’ He gestured them to seats. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure?’
‘Sorry for bursting in on you like this, Will,’ Grace began, ‘but we needed to talk to you rather urgently – andin private,’ she mouthed confidentially.
Grace was a sort of method actress in reverse, using formerstage roles to inspire her performance in real-life situations. For today’s meeting with Will she was borrowing from her critically acclaimed turn as Mrs Bennet inPride and Prejudice, all fluttering helplessness and breathless distress.
‘Is everything all right?’ Will asked, clearly concerned.
‘Things have been better,’ Grace told him.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘We need your help, Will, with a family matter,’ Grace said, breathing from the top of her chest to achieve just the right note of imminent hysteria.
Will looked alarmed now.
‘You’re getting him all wound up, Mum,’ Rachel said. To Will she said, ‘Don’t look so worried – it’s not that serious. Mum’s just being dramatic, as usual.’
‘Not that serious?’ Grace exclaimed. ‘It’s only your sister’s life!’
‘Is Kate in some sort of trouble? Will one of youpleasetell me what’s going on?’ Will begged.
‘Yes, it’s Kate.’ Grace had finally collected herself enough to speak plainly. ‘She’s got engaged.’
‘Oh! To the so-called Woodcutter?’ Will asked chirpily – too chirpily: he received a withering look from Grace.
‘Tree-hugger,’ Rachel muttered.
‘Sorry?’
‘The so-called Tree-hugger, not Woodcutter.’
‘Oh, right.’ Will waited expectantly for more. ‘And?’ he asked, when nothing else was forthcoming.
‘Well, none of us like him,’ Grace said. ‘He’s wrong for Kate – he’ll make her miserable.’
‘I know Lorcan doesn’t think much of him.’
‘None of us do.’
‘Except Kate.’ Will winced as his piquant observation was met with another glare from Grace.
‘We need your help, Will.’ Grace was trying to impress the seriousness of the situation on him. ‘You’re our only hope.’
‘Well, I can see you’re upset about it,’ he smiled sympathetically, ‘but I don’t see what it’s got to do with me.’
‘Don’t you?’ Grace asked. ‘No.’ She sighed. ‘I suppose you wouldn’t.’
‘So?’ Will raised his eyebrows enquiringly.
‘We have to put a stop to it and save Kate from a lifetime of unhappiness. The whole family are united on this. Everyone’s doing their bit.’
‘I see,’ Will said cautiously, not really seeing at all but rather dreading the moment when all would become clear. He sensed he was going to be asked to do something deeply unpleasant.
‘We want Kate to break it off of her own accord,’ Grace explained, ‘so we’re going to do everything we can to make her change her mind about the Tree-hugger.’
‘And where do I come into all this?’
