Colin gave an exaggerated sigh. ‘Just spit it out, can’t you?’
‘Ambrosine told us her married name and I recognised it. She’s the mysterious Countess Fauré-Dubois. She is the third person in the will. It’s brilliant news as it means we can now get everything sorted out and apply for probate.’
Colin did not look like someone who had just received brilliant news. ‘What? That old woman owns part of the hotel? That’s outrageous! She’s not a member of the family! She’s just some random old biddy—’
‘Who saved our father’s life!’ said Andrew.
But Colin wasn’t having this. ‘No. It’s not right. I’ll see a solicitor. I’m going to dispute the will!’ He rose from his chair.
‘Where are you rushing off to?’ said Andrew.
‘To see a man about a dog,’ said Colin. He left the room leaving the cloud of irritation his behaviour had created behind him.
Justin rolled his eyes. ‘I’d better go after him.’
When he came back, he said to Meg, ‘Can I have a word?’
‘Is everything all right?’ she asked. ‘You were gone a long time.’
‘Colin is fine; he’s just being grumpy. But I found a message for me in the office. It’s from someone who rents a property I own in London. I need to see to it immediately.’ He paused. ‘I’m so sorry, Meggy. I hate to leave you just now, but this man’s lavatory has broken and is leaking. If it’s not sorted soon, it’ll take the ceilings out of three other flats. For some reason he can’t get a plumber. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, holding her as if he would never let her go.
Meg was so sad to see him leave, but her heart had lifted: surely he wouldn’t have hugged her like that unless he really loved her?
The following morning, Meg bravely telephoned Russell and asked him, tactfully, if it might be possible to put the play on at the hotel after all, and if there was anything she could do to encourage him.
‘It was that Laura person!’ said Russell, obviously with lots of pent-up frustration to express. ‘She refused to do anything to accommodate us and just said no to every request. I had to pull us out. We were all so disappointed.’
‘I am so sorry, Russell, that’s awful!’ said Meg, secretly relieved that this had been the reason. ‘If I told you that Laura is no longer with us – with the hotel I mean; she hasn’t died – and said we would do anything in our power to make whatever you want happen, might you be able to change your mind?’
There was a long, worrying pause and then a long sigh. ‘We could tag you on to the end of the season.We’ll need a couple of rehearsals, but not too many as we know the play backwards by now. But knowing you, Meg, knowing how much trouble you went to, to look after your guests, we’d be thrilled. I’ll just have to check with Dame Miriam. She may have another engagement. Or she may just be tired.’
‘Russell, I can’t tell you how delighted I am! We’re longing to have you all!’
Meg put the phone down, triumphant that theDreamwould be put on at Nightingale Woods after all. She ran to find Louise and Andrew, excited to be able to tell them the good news.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Early the next morning, Meg stood in the kitchen at Nightingale Woods. It felt so strange and yet so familiar. In some ways it was as if she’d never been away and in others she felt like a completely different person. The last time she had been in this kitchen she had hated Justin, now she loved him and felt, although didn’t know for certain, that he loved her.
‘It’s like a novel,’ she said out loud, to the surprise of Susan who walked in at just that moment.
‘What’s that, Meg dear? Anything I need to pay attention to?’
‘No,’ said Meg quickly. ‘I was just thinking how different this kitchen is from the one I left in France. It’s lovely and calm here. The French one was so hot, noisy and very busy.’
Susan looked askance. ‘You’ll be glad to get back to civilisation, no doubt.’
Meg laughed. ‘Absolutely!’
The hotel suddenly became almost as busy as the French kitchen Meg had left. Everyone agreed (except for Colin, who wasn’t consulted) that Ambrosine could no longer live in the attic – there were far too manystairs. They settled on a little room on the ground floor that opened directly out into the garden. There was room for a bathroom next door and although it was small, Louise and Meg felt it could be made nice for Ambrosine and Louise took on the challenge. Bob went in with his pencil behind his ear and worked out the plumbing.
There were two things that prevented Meg from being entirely happy (being desperately busy and possibly overworked was what she liked). One was Justin’s continued absence. He did telephone her sometimes, but it was never very satisfactory talking to him when neither he nor she were alone.
The other thing was Ambrosine. Although she was improving, her recovery was slow. Meg visited as often as she could, bringing flowers from the garden, titbits from the kitchen and whatever gossip she could come up with. Ambrosine knew that Justin was away and was sympathetic but, of course, even she couldn’t make him come back any sooner.
But at last, Ambrosine’s hip was declared properly mended. They were told that in three days, Ambrosine could come home. Meg, who was present when the doctor declared this, hugged her friend. ‘I can’t wait for you to see your new room, Ambrosine. It’s lovely!’
