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Emily wasn’t convinced. It was meant to be a party, some fun, a few drinks, perhaps a snog with Joss when Clarissa was out of the way. Emily winced. Where had that thought come from? She said, ‘We’d have to bring the ledgers up to your room, and my mum might notice them missing.’
‘What – at this time of night?’
Emily sighed. Clarissa had a point. She still couldn’t imagine going through them all. Not just then, anyway.
‘Well, if you don’t want to do it with Joss …’ Clarissa smirked. ‘… I meant looking through the ledgers, we should go downstairs, when he leaves, and check them out ourselves.’
‘Okay.’
‘It is odd though, what you said about her interest in the Egyptian.’
‘To be honest, all our guests are a little odd at the moment.’
‘Does that go for me too?’
‘Oh, that definitely goes for you.’
Clarissa slapped her arm affectionately.
They fell about laughing until they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
‘I’ll get it.’ Emily got up, hoping it was Joss. She checked her pyjamas and her hair in the mirror before answering the door.
‘I thought I’d find you here.’
Emily stared at her mum. ‘What do you want?’ Her eyes darted down the hall. She prayed that Joss didn’t choose that moment to take them up on the invite to Clarissa’s room.
Her mum smiled. ‘I was passing your bedroom, so I knocked to say goodnight, but you didn’t answer. I thought you’d be here. Just don’t have the music on too loud, and make sure you get to bed at a reasonable hour – remember we have another guest turning up tomorrow.’
‘Oh, okay.’ Emily was about to close the door, wanting her mum to go, when she said, ‘And Emily. I’m sorry I didn’t let you have sleepovers when you were young.’
Emily was surprised by the comment. It was a sore point. ‘You always put the hotel first before your family, before me …’ she blurted, aware the wine was talking again. She’d never have said that to her mum’s face if she hadn’t been drunk, and she was aware that she sounded like a spoilt brat, which, as the youngest, no doubt she was.
She stood there in the doorway, feeling uncomfortable under her mother’s scrutiny. She expected to be told off for being rude and ungrateful, but her mother said nothing. It was not like her to be so quiet, and she looked as though something was on her mind.
Emily stared at her. ‘Mum – what is it?’
Her mum’s gaze drifted to Clarissa, who was lying in bed in Emily’s pyjamas. ‘I made a mistake, Emily. Years ago.’
Even though she’d drunk too much, Emily focused on what her mum was saying. ‘What do you mean? What mistake?’
‘Oh, there you are, Wendy. Another booking came through on the computer earlier.’
Emily looked at her dad. ‘Do you want me to sort that out?’ she asked, remembering that he’d mentioned it earlier but that with the excitement of her friend’s arrival, she’d forgotten all about it.
‘No, honey, you enjoy yourself with Clarissa.’
‘Ok, Dad. Goodnight.’
‘Goodnight, sweetheart.’ Gerald walked down the stairs.
‘Mum – what were you going to say?’
‘Nothing. I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight, Emily.’
‘Goodnight, Mum.’
‘Who’s Wendy?’ Clarissa asked, when Emily lay back down in bed next to her.
