‘I wouldn’t say easy,’ said Russell, patting Lady Lennox-Stanley’s hand. ‘But possible. And I’m rather hoping Dame Miriam Twycross might play Titania.’
‘Isn’t she a bit long in the tooth for that sort of thing now?’ asked the colonel.
‘On paper, she’s nearly sixty,’ said Russell, ‘but I promise you, once she’s on stage, the years fall away and she’s as lovely as ever.’
This news caused Ambrosine to look a little sceptical. ‘I daresay they can do wonders with make-up, these days.’
‘I saw her inSaint Joan, years ago,’ said Lady Lennox-Stanley. ‘She was enchanting! It’s such a shame that my husband doesn’t share my love of theatre. I don’t get to go nearly as much as I’d like to.’
Meg wondered why she couldn’t just go with a friend. They had a London house, after all.
David came over. ‘Now, can I get you a drink, Meggy? And how is everyone else getting on?’
‘I’d love another snifter of port,’ said the colonel. ‘I’ll regret it in the night, but now, I’d love it.’
Meg was glad she couldn’t see Justin’s face. He’d probably be terribly disapproving of her giving away the vintage port. But he was deep in conversation with Vanessa and Russell, so he didn’t notice.
Some time later, Meg was giving the kitchen a final wipe when Vanessa came in.
‘You look tired, Meggy. Go to bed. Everyone else seems to want to stay up drinking, but why don’t you slip off?’
Staying up drinking was the very last thing Meg wanted to do but she wondered if it was her duty.
Possibly because Meg didn’t answer, Vanessa went on, ‘You know that Justin fancies you, don’t you?’
This woke Meg up. ‘No he doesn’t! Don’t be ridiculous.’
Vanessa shrugged. ‘I could be wrong, I suppose.’
‘I’m sure you are wrong!’ said Meg. ‘And I can’t go to bed. Supposing someone wants something?’ she asked, meaning Lady Lennox-Stanley.
‘I’ll see to it,’ said Vanessa, understanding what Meg meant. ‘She’s my mother. And I’m practically a member of staff now!’
Chapter Twenty
Breakfast the following day went better than Meg could have hoped for. Lady Lennox-Stanley’s grapefruit was juicy and perfect, her boiled egg (supposedly so easy, but in Meg’s opinion, a sort of Russian roulette) was cooked just as she liked it. And the toast was the perfect colour too. Although she really didn’t want to, Meg put on a clean apron and went to ask her ladyship about it after she had finished.
Lady Lennox-Stanley was flanked by David and Russell Rook, with Vanessa next to David.
‘Good morning,’ Meg said, trying to smile and look confident. ‘Did you all have a good night?’
‘Positively splendid!’ said Russell. ‘Perfect sheets and such comfortable pillows. So quiet, and such a charming view! I woke this morning and flung back the curtains and drank in the glory of the garden. I can’t wait to put on theDreamhere! The setting is so perfect.’
‘It was jolly comfy, Meg,’ said David, giving her a supportive smile.
Lady Lennox-Stanley also smiled, but it was a stretching of the lips and nod of the head, lasting the shortest possible time. Then she spoke.
Meg had known that by asking Lady Lennox-Stanley how she’d passed the night she was making herself a hostage to fortune. Lady Lennox-Stanley, Meg was convinced, was honour-bound to relate everything that was wrong with it. She braced herself for bad news.
‘Of course it was very inconvenient not having a bathroom attached to the room,’ said Lady Lennox-Stanley, ‘but otherwise, as I said yesterday, it was all perfectly adequate.’
Vanessa rolled her eyes at Meg. ‘It was lovely!’ she said, obviously embarrassed but not surprised by her mother’s faint praise. ‘You slept really well, didn’t you, Mummy?’
‘I never have an unbroken night’s sleep,’ Lady Lennox-Stanley explained, ‘but while I was lying awake in the night, I was comfortable.’
‘Bingo!’ said David. ‘I mean, jolly good.’
‘And in other good news,’ said Russell, ‘it seems that David and I can give Amanda a lift back, so Vanessa can stay here and help you, Meg.’
