“You’ll miss your tea and biscuits.” Philomena follows him with her eyes as he edges his way out of the circle of chairs and tables.
“We’re not going to solve anything by sitting here drinking tea. If we don’t act soon, you can forget about biscuits, we’d be lucky to get gravel and sulphur in the New Year.
No flies on my grandfather; he clearly has worked out the connection with Cynthia.
“I’m coming with you.” Vanessa gets up too, rummaging in her handbag for a packet of wet wipes which she uses to clean her hands and lips.
“We can all—” Philomena starts.
“No,” he says firmly. “We can’t all fit into Leonie’s car.”
Actually, they both can, but I don’t contradict him. Perhas he’s trying to avoid the competition between the two women.
Vanessa, who seems to like Bill a lot, must have also worked out that whatever size my car it can fit one more person.
“Just me, surely.” She starts to button up her cardigan, a pretty cornflower blue with pearls along the collar.
“This is not a fun outing.” Bill says not ungently, but he is still moving towards the exit. “It’s business, and my son lives there, so I’m involved.”
This stops both women, and we leave the games lounge alone. But when we get to the car park, Raff is there waiting. He is coming with us, apparently. And it’s equally clear that Bill already knew that.
We make it to Kendric House by 2:30 p.m. in time to find Evan having a meeting with the partners. Alex, Llewellyn, Haneen, the professor, Watson the gardener (even though he hasn’t done anything yet), and a couple of the volunteers.
They’re all sitting round a table in the kitchen.
“Sorry to interrupt.” I turn around to leave them. But Bill has already come through the kitchen door.
“Dad?” The professor stands up surprised.
“Leonie told me about this threat.” Bill steps around me and goes to shake hands with Evan. “I’m her grandfather. I hope you don’t mind me joining your meeting.”
Evan is a little surprised, but he makes room for the three of us round the table without a word. Alex brings more chairs and we all sit.
Evan opens a file in front of him and pulls out a sheet. “This is what I’ve managed to get out of Cotes Care Homes since all this started. They initially wrote to me and to” – his lips thin– “my older brother. They complained to him about our inviting their residents. My brother has written back telling them the house is unfit for human habitation.”
“Which is why the council is going to close us down,” Alex says, grimly.
“In my opinion,” Watson (the not yet gardener) pipes up. “We should cooperate and see if we can reach a compromise. We say the north and west wings are available for sale to a developer who has the funds to rebuild. This way it removes the problem.”
“I won’t sell.” Evan says.
“They’re more likely to be lenient if we don’t fight them,” Watson says. He’s a square looking guy, square frame, square head, dressed like a teacher. He’s maybe late thirties but his attitude strikes me as already middle-aged.
“Offer them the contract for finding a suitable buyer, they will jump at the chance.” He insists.
“Sell? That’s not a solution, it’s capitulation.” The professor throws his arms up in the air.
“It’s a compromise, lose part of the property so we don’t lose everything.”
Alex rounds on him. “Easy for you to say, you’ve done nothing, you have nothing to lose.”
“Everyone let’s please stay calm.” Evan tries to maintain a calm discussion. It’s clear from his barely controlled voice, he too is angry at Watson.
“Is anyone here an engineer?” Bill asks into the tense moment.
Heads shake all around the table.
“I used to be, and this kind of thing isn’t new to me,” he says, suddenly very businesslike. “Can I ask first of all, what is in the house that might be a hazard?”
