‘Could you rent out a house without a bathroom?’ asked Meg.
‘Not to paying guests,’ said Louise, ‘but if it was all clean and comfortable some hardy non-paying types might be happy to stay here.’
‘Let’s go and see the privy.’ Meg shuddered at the thought of what they might find there. ‘I’m not awfully good with spiders.’
But to their surprise and delight they found a small wash house attached to the cottage and the privy, which was a perfectly functioning lavatory, was next to this.
‘That could be a bathroom,’ said Meg. ‘Eventually.’
‘If there was a bathroom, this little cottage could be a darling place to stay!’ said Louise. ‘I bet there are chests full of old curtains and things up in the attics of the main house. Families who owned houses like this never threw anything away.’
‘Is the family interesting? I know Ambrosine is writing a history of the family and the house. It would be wonderful to have a leaflet to put in all the bedrooms,’ said Meg. ‘We might as well exploit the grand past of Nightingale Woods. They didn’t have anything like that in Justin’s hotel.’
‘That’s a good idea, darling. Now, let’s carry on our explorations. It would be wonderful if Nightingale Woods could have enough accommodation to actually be profitable.’ Louise sighed. ‘Come on! I’m hoping that communing with spiders and patches of mildew, damp and anything else old houses can provide will help me decide what to do about those deeds.’
They found that the space over the old stables could make a neat little flat, there were a few more bedrooms in the house that could be made nice, and they saw a path that Susan said led to the old gamekeeper’s cottage. They decided not to follow the path. They didn’t know how far away the cottage was and they were getting tired.
As they walked back to the hotel, Louise said, ‘I still don’t know what to do about finding those deeds. I’m not at all sure saying that the safe door just swinging open is quite a good enough reason for us to have delved inside. It’s really another version of “it came off in my hand”.’
‘We could do what I suggested and shove it all back in and make sure the safe door is properly closed,’ suggested Meg.
‘That would be silly. The right answer will come to me. Now let’s go and see the stables that haven’t been turned into garages. It’s possible a flat like ours could be built over them.’ By the time they got back to the house, they were filthy but convinced they could put up quite a large number of people who didn’t mind roughing it a bit. They were both feeling very positive about it all and discussing paint colours and curtains when they reached the house.
‘I need a gin and tonic,’ said Meg. ‘Let’s go and get one. There’s no one in for dinner.’ Then she looked down at herself. ‘Gosh, I’m filthy. I’ll just go and wash. Shall I find ice? Or not bother?’
‘Not bother. Although a slice or two of lemon would be nice.’
Before getting herself clean, Meg went into the kitchen. Susan and her daughter were there, clearing up after tea.
‘Why don’t you take the rest of that home,’ said Meg, seeing three-quarters of a Victoria jam sponge on a plate. ‘I’ll make another for tomorrow.’
‘We’d get another day out of it,’ said Susan.
‘But Dad loves Meg’s sponge cakes,’ said Cherry. ‘Thank you, Meg.’
Meg smiled. ‘Do take it. You’ve earned it.’
‘Then I will,’ said Susan, picking up the plate and putting it in her basket. ‘By the way, young Justin’s just arrived.’
‘What?’ All Meg’s contentment vanished.
Susan nodded. ‘He came in here and said hello and that he was going to the office. Had a slice of cake first, mind.’
Meg fled from the kitchen and across the hallway like a startled hare to where her mother was standing in front of the office door, her arms outstretched as if forbidding entry to a sacred space.
Justin, a piece of cake in his hand, was looking confused and angry as he loomed over her. ‘Don’t be ridiculous! Let me in! I need to get into the safe.’
‘You can’t,’ said Louise dramatically.
‘Why the hell not?’ demanded Justin.
‘What my mother means,’ said Meg, loudly, so Justin would stop unnerving Louise, ‘is that there’s something I need to tell you before you do.’
Justin turned to her and Meg saw her mother’s posture relax.
‘What?’ said Justin, obviously more confused than ever.
Louise started to speak but Meg put up a hand. ‘Things in there aren’t as you left them.’
