‘And this is where there’s going to be a production ofA Midsummer’s Night’s Dream,’ she said when they were in the garden. ‘Apparently, it’s perfect, a natural amphitheatre. Ambrosine has found old photographs of pageants being put on here.’
‘What if it rains?’
‘Provision will be made,’ said Meg.
‘Does my brother know about all this?’ Colin asked.
‘I keep Dad fully up to date with what’s going on,’ said Justin. ‘The play will be a gold mine if it’s successful. But with Dame Miriam Twycross as Titania, it can hardly fail.’
‘Well,’ said Colin. ‘It’s all extremely encouraging. You’ve done wonders with the old place, you two. Now all we need to do is get it valued – taking the huge increase in bookings into consideration.’
Meg’s heart plummeted. She could overlook the assumption that the improvements were all Justin’s idea – people would always assume there had to be a man behind every plan – but everyone had worked so hard on making improvements, encouraging more visitors, and although they were on their way to doing that, it now seemed likely that Nightingale Woods would be sold after all. Everyone might lose their jobs. It was all extremely depressing.
‘Excuse me,’ she said. ‘I must go and see about lunch.’ They had no lunch guests, but she wanted a private weep.
Ambrosine found her in the kitchen a few moments after she arrived. ‘Come now, Meg dear, this is not like you! What’s the matter?’
‘I’m just tired, I think,’ said Meg, blowing her nose. Ambrosine stood over her in a way that made her go on. ‘And Colin is here – Andrew’s brother—’
‘I know perfectly well who Colin is, dear, but I don’t know what he can have done to make you cry.’ She frowned. ‘I shall go and investigate.’
‘Please don’t!’ said Meg, but it was too late.
Meg watched her leave the kitchen wondering if she could have stopped her. But few people were able to stop Ambrosine when she was on a mission.
Although they hadn’t any hotel guests booked in for lunch, Meg thought she ought to make something for the staff anyway. They deserved something nice; everyone had worked so hard for the race day.
She was chopping carrots when Justin came in.
‘Colin is getting in an estate agent to have the place valued. I’ve rung my father. They’re can’t get here until the day after tomorrow. Colin wants the estate agent to go round with just him.’
Meg’s mouth went dry. This was bad news.
‘He’s seen so much potential for expansion, as he calls it,’ Justin went on. ‘Realising that the workers’ cottages could be used for renting has given him big ideas.’
‘But I thought he wasn’t interested in the hotel,’ said Meg.
‘Oh, he’s interested. He wants to develop Nightingale Woods in order to sell it. Half of a much bigger operation will be quite a lot of money.’
Meg cleared her throat and sniffed, determined not to cry. But she was tired from the race day, still emotional and becoming more and more upset. ‘What about Ambrosine?’ she asked, the catch in her voice annoyingly obvious.
‘Of course she’ll have to go. Colin wants to put in a lift so all the old nurseries can become guest accommodation.’
‘But isn’t there a moral obligation to give Ambrosine a home? There must have been at some time or she wouldn’t be here now.’
Justin shrugged. ‘There won’t have been any kind of legal contract. No, make the soup – we’re going to need it.’ His smile was rueful and kind and Meg suddenly wanted … wanted to go to him, and feel his arms around her. She wanted to hold his warm body and feel it next to hers.
Suddenly, she realised she had fallen in love with him. It was a shock and yet it seemed like something she had always known. She had fought so hard not to become friends with him, she never noticed love creeping up like a vine that entwined itself around her heart and now couldn’t be cut away.
Chapter Twenty-Four
After lunch, which Meg served but wouldn’t share, pleading a need to go to her bedroom and do something feminine as an excuse, she found herself crossing the hall to overhear Colin being grumpy on the telephone. The office door was open and Colin was sitting in the typist’s chair with his feet on the desk.
‘I need someone urgently. I can’t believe you can’t send someone tomorrow if not today.’
Meg waited, out of sight, unashamed to be eavesdropping. There was a silence while someone on the other end of the telephone was speaking.
‘Listen! I need someone who can be discreet and give me a valuation of the property. God damn it! The commission on a place like this would be huge!’
