‘Welcome, everyone, and thank you for coming. Over to our hostess for the evening, Pandora.’
There was a polite round of applause as she stood up.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you have enjoyed the canopies which we have served.’
Juliet didn’t dare glance at Martha for fear she would start giggling and sent up a silent thanks that Frankie wasn’t there to comment, as she surely would. All the same, she couldn’t erase from her mind the image of Pandora and her friends solemnly handing out large canvas awnings, rather than the delicious goat’s cheese canapés they had in fact enjoyed.
‘Please now be seated in the dining room, where we will start the, er, starter.’
Another flutter of applause, and everyone went through.
TWENTY-THREE
Feywood felt quiet without Pandora and her hens fluttering around the place. Juliet was relieved not to have to change any sheets other than her own for a while, and she was glad for Léo that the weekend had gone as well as it did. They were all excitedly awaiting the publication ofHELLO! Magazine,and there had already been enquiries from people who had got wind of the visit. However, before the magazine came out, another picture emerged.
Juliet was in her flat one morning, working on some illustrations for the recipe book. She was pleased with how they were evolving: funny and quirky, but not spiteful, and she was sure that Léo and Sylvia would be pleased with them. A timid knock on the door came at just the right moment.
‘Oh, hello, Martha, I don’t often see you up here. Come in, I was just making a coffee. Would you like one?’
‘Yes, thanks. I should come and see you here more often, it’s lovely. The light is amazing.’
‘Isn’t it? I don’t need it for my cartoons, but it’s brilliant for the watercolour work. Here you go.’ She handed her sister a steaming mug and they sat down. ‘So, what can I do for you?’
Martha bit her lip.
‘There’s something I want to show you, although I’m not sure about it…’
She trailed off, looking worried. Juliet frowned.
‘Whatever it is, better out than in. Just show me.’
Martha nodded and pulled out her phone. A few taps later she had opened Instagram and held up a photo. It showed Léo and Pandora looking exactly as if they had just broken away from a kiss: their backs were to the camera, their hands on each other’s shoulders and their faces wore expressions which Juliet immediately interpreted as guilt. The comments underneath confirmed that she wasn’t the only one who thought that. Juliet looked up from studying the phone.
‘Was that taken here?’
‘Yes, look, you can see the wall in the background, the bit where it’s all broken. I’m sure it’s nothing. I’m not showing you because I think that anything is – going on. But I wanted you to know about it, in case anything is said.’
‘Right. Yeah, I can see why. Thanks, Martha. Can you send it to me?’
‘Sure.’ She took her phone back and shortly a ‘ping’ sounded. ‘There you go. Don’t be cross with Léo, will you? It looks a bit funny, but…’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll sort it. Come on, now you’re here, let’s change the subject. Tell me how work’s going.’
After Martha had left, Juliet tried to settle to her work again, but it was as if her phone had a red-hot laser coming out of it and pointing directly towards her head. She just couldn’t ignore it. She snatched up the device and looked again at the photograph.
‘Oh, this is bloody ridiculous,’ she said out loud, and stormed out to go and find Léo. She didn’t have far to go; he wasdownstairs with Sylvia in the cookery school. They looked up in surprise as she flew down the stairs.
‘Is everything all right?’ asked her aunt.
‘No, not really. It really isn’t. Sorry, I’ve got something to speak to Léo about.’
‘All right,’ he said slowly. ‘It looks like this can’t wait. Can you excuse me a moment, Sylvia?’
They went outside, and Juliet led him to a small bench. She took out her phone and showed him the photograph.
‘Ah,’ he said. ‘You know, of course, that this is not how it looks, Juliet?’
‘I was hoping not. Because to me it rather looks as if you have been kissing her, and her so-called friend has put it on her Instagram page with a load of sassy little winking faces and comments about howwhat happens on a hen should probably stay there.’
