While Meg was genuinely pleased, she couldn’t help wondering how Justin had taken this news. And could she really go back to Nightingale Woods? But she didn’t say any of this. Her mother looked so happy, and so did Andrew.
‘Oh, Mum!’ said Meg, hugging Louise. ‘Of course I’ll come!’
Louise hugged Meg again. ‘I’m so relieved. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about your old mum getting married.’
‘Well, I’d obviously hate if it was to anyone but Andrew!’ She sent him a warm smile. ‘I’m thrilled.’
After a lot more hugging and many congratulations, Meg said, ‘I’d love to make your wedding cake, if you’d like that.’
‘I can’t think of anything nicer!’ said Louise.
‘She made ours,’ said Alexandra. ‘The most deliciouscroquembouche.’
‘Oh,’ said Meg quickly. ‘That’s traditionally French. You’d probably rather have a rich fruit cake.’
‘Thatcroquembouchewas one of the best I’ve ever eaten,’ said Antoine. ‘In fact, it was when I told Pierreabout it that he agreed to you doing astageat his restaurant.’
‘But it’s more something that Laura should make,’ Meg said, partly wanting to know how she was getting on at Nightingale Woods without asking directly. ‘She’s a classically trained pastry chef.’
‘I think acroquembouchesounds delightful and different,’ said Andrew. ‘And I think I speak for us both when I say I’d like you to do it, Meg.’
Meg blushed and felt emotional all over again.
‘Meg,’ said Alexandra. ‘Why don’t you go upstairs with Louise and make sure she’s got everything she needs? It’ll give you a chance to have a bit of a mother-and-daughter chat.’
‘I’d love that!’ said Louise.
Meg took hold of her hand. ‘Come on, Mum. Which room, Lexi?’
‘The one with the mural. It’s our best,’ said Alexandra. ‘And the bathroom is just next door.’
It wasn’t long before Meg and Louise were sitting on the bed together. ‘There are two things I’m dying to know,’ said Meg.
‘Go on then, ask me.’
Meg decided to ask the easy one first, the question where she wasn’t emotionally involved with the answer. ‘Has Andrew managed to discover who the third person in the will is?’
‘No!’ said Louise. ‘We’ve drawn a complete blank. Colin and Andrew can’t seem to find any trace of her. They’ve placed advertisements in the local papers in France – with a French name they decided there wasno point in doing that in England, but nothing! Colin is looking into seeing how long they have to search for this Frenchwoman whose name I keep forgetting before her share can revert to him and Andrew.’
‘That’s a bit frustrating for everyone,’ said Meg. ‘Is Colin being very grumpy about it?’
‘Rather,’ said Louise, ‘but then he puts on the charm again.’ She sighed. ‘I just wish he wouldn’t pat Cherry and Sally. I had to speak to him about it. It was really awkward.’
‘I can imagine! Poor Mum! You’re probably better with schoolboys when it comes to that sort of thing.’
Louise gave a little laugh. ‘To be honest, I said more or less the same things I would have said to sixth formers who were inappropriate with the assistant matrons. But I hated having to do it.’
‘So how are things going otherwise? What is it like at Nightingale Woods now?’
‘You really want to know how Laura is working out?’ Louise smiled at Meg understandingly.
‘Yes! I do! And I feel mean about it.’
‘Well, don’t feel mean. I’m happy to tell you that she’s not very popular.’
‘Why not?’ Meg felt she knew the answer to this question.
‘I’m sure you can guess. She’s so bossy for a start. She thinks she can tell everyone how to do their jobs, including me. She was some sort of a receptionist at the other hotel, which of course makes her an expert.’
