‘What do you mean? Did the ceiling fall in? Did someone let a bath overflow?’
‘Nothing like that,’ said Meg. ‘Mum? Why don’t you get us all some drinks? There’s tonic in the fridge. I’m going to explain everything to Justin.
Louise moved away from the door and Meg went in, Justin following closely behind.
Meg spoke quickly, knowing it wouldn’t be long before Justin would start being loud and while she certainly wasn’t afraid of him – absolutely not – she wanted to take the initiative.
‘I discovered the door to the safe wasn’t properly closed.’ She saw Justin look shocked and she hurried on. ‘I know we shouldn’t have –Ishouldn’t have – but we opened it and looked for the deeds. And found them.’
‘You found the deeds?’ Justin said at normal volume but obviously surprised. ‘My father and I both looked exhaustively.’
‘I know. But everything was so jumbled up. My mother—’ Too late, Meg forgot to take full responsibility. ‘She sorted everything out and found them tucked under something else.’
‘Can you give them to me?’ said Justin.
‘Er – no. We closed the door properly after we found the deeds.’
He made an irritated sound as he turned the dial on the safe, finding the numbers. Then the door opened. ‘Good Lord! It’s tidy!’
‘That’s my mother. But I take full responsibility for opening the safe,’ Meg said firmly. ‘Look, the deeds are on the top there,’ she added, spotting them.
Justin took them out and then opened the envelope. ‘These are the ones.’ He looked up. ‘What did you say happened to the door of the safe?
At that moment, Louise came in with a tray. She had glasses with gin in them, a dish of lemon slices, a bowl of ice and two bottles of tonic. ‘You’ll have a drink, Justin?’ she said. ‘Meggy and I promised ourselves a gin.’
‘I’ll get nibbles,’ said Meg, knowing her mother poured strong drinks.
She ran through to the kitchen. Susan was just buttoning up her cardigan, ready to go home. ‘Have we got anything I can serve with drinks?’
‘There are some broken vol-au-vent cases in the tin,’ Susan replied. ‘Do you want me to stay and help?’
‘No, no,’ said Meg automatically. ‘I’ll manage.’
The top oven in the range was hot and it didn’t take her long to grate cheese and sprinkle it over the cases, cut into suitably sized pieces. A bit of cayenne and the baking tray was in the oven. She drummed her fingers on the table, willing time to pass.
‘Are you sure you don’t want me to stay? You seem all of a jitter.’ Susan and Cherry regarded her curiously.
‘I’ll be fine. I’ll explain everything later. Tomorrow!’ said Meg. Why was she so jumpy? Justin didn’t seem that bothered about them opening the safe although she would have to think of some sort of explanation.
Shortly afterwards she set off with her tray to find that Louise and Justin had gone into the sitting room. Justin had a drink in his hands and was sitting on the sofa, his legs stretched out in front of him.
‘Justin’s staying for supper,’ said Louise as Meg set down her emergency cheese straws and a bowl of olives on a table near him.
Meg took a restorative gulp of her drink, forgetting how strong her mother made them. ‘How did you get here?’ she said to Justin.
‘Someone gave me a lift,’ he said.
Was it Laura? Meg wondered, putting down her glass, resigned to driving him back again. No, if Laura had been with him, she’d have stayed, no question. But maybe, considering she had been so proprietorial about him when she’d delivered him to the hotel after his accident, Laura could come and collect him?
‘Did you come over to look for the deeds?’ asked Louise.
‘No,’ said Justin. ‘I came to ask Meg if she could make me a Black Forest gateau for a birthday tomorrow. I could have just telephoned but as I’m asking quite a big favour, I thought it better to do it in person.’
‘I haven’t any cherries,’ said Meg, pleased to be able to get out of the task without feeling churlish.
‘I thought you might not have. I brought a couple of jars of them. And some kirsch, also some half-decent chocolate. You do make such good cakes,’ he added. ‘I just had a slice of your Victoria sponge.’
‘You’re flattering me, so I’ll say yes,’ she said bluntly, and sensed her mother’s look of disapproval. ‘But I’d make better cakes – or at least I’d make a Black Forest quicker if I had a mixer.’
