‘That sounds very unfair.’
‘I was very loved, but no one ever expected me to be successful. They’re all very academic, you see. I was considered good at art at school, but compared to Latin and Greek, art didn’t amount to much. Drawing wasn’t considered useful. Dad is only interested in photography, although he does think I have a good eye.’
‘It’s a shame. And I’d be thrilled if you’d illustrate my work. You have just the right blend of accuracy and artistic interpretation. All the plants you drew—’
‘I had no idea of what any of them were.’
‘ButIknew what they were. You are really good at drawing, Cass, no matter what anyone else has made you believe.’
‘It would be an honour to help.’
‘It would make the whole difference to the project. My father’s drawings are very … dull really. At the moment they look as if they were copied from an old-fashioned museum exhibit – they look wooden.’
‘I’m not sure I could do any better.’
‘I know you can. But if you want to go home, we can forget it.’
‘Not at all!’ Cass was excited. It would be a challenge, obviously, but she loved the thought of being able to do something for Bastian, who did so much forothers. It would be great to have something important to occupy her time. ‘I can give it a go tomorrow, see how I get on?’
‘That would be perfect! It would bring the whole paper to life.’ The moonlight caught his smile. ‘I am glad you came, Cass. You’re making this difficult situation a lot easier.’
He went to bed shortly after that, but Cass stayed awake for a while. In her heart she knew she didn’t want to go home, she just wanted to be doing something that didn’t involve mooning after Ranulph and his old flame – or whatever Becca was.
Just before she drifted back to sleep she remembered she’d have to tell Austin she didn’t want to leave with him after all. She’d have to find an excuse for changing her mind.
‘How was it, sleeping on the veranda?’ Ranulph was standing there with a cup of something that steamed. He handed it to her. ‘You weren’t nervous?’
Cass sat up indignantly and took the mug. ‘Of course not!’ she said, forgetting the couple of times when she’d been startled awake by something loud cracking and how frightened she’d been, until she realised it was the branch of a tree falling and was nothing to worry about.
She sipped the cocoa-tea. ‘It’s lovely out here. The sea breeze keeps off the midges,’ she said. ‘How did you and Becca sleep?’ Then she wished she hadn’t asked. Her question seemed to imply that Ranulph and Becca were sharing a bed.
‘Fine. My leg hardly hurts any more. Becca changed the dressing. It’s healing well.’
Of course it was fine for someone else to change Ranulph’s dressing, but Cass still felt possessive about it. She forced a smile. ‘Let me know when you’ve finished with the room and I’ll go and get dressed.’
Cass realised she’d have to stop feeling so jealous when she discovered Becca in the kitchen, helping Delphine, and doing it far more efficiently than she had been doing up to now.
‘Hi, Cass!’ said Becca brightly. ‘It was so kind of you to give up your bed last night. I would have been fine sleeping on the veranda but Ranulph insisted.’
As Ranulph wasn’t there to deny this, Cass just smiled. ‘Did you manage without a sleeping bag?’
‘Ranulph gave me his and he found another old one. Now, what do you want to eat? I’m making banana fritters, although we haven’t got eggs.’
Cass found herself sitting at the table being treated like a guest by Ranulph’s old – and possibly revived – flame.
Austin came in. He looked pink and damp, full of beans and ready for the day. ‘Hi there!’ he said.
‘Hi,’ said Cass, far less enthusiastically, although his greeting had been directed at Becca.
‘For an archaeologist you look as if you’re handy in the kitchen!’ said Austin to Becca.
Becca laughed. ‘Well, officially I’m an archaeologist, yes, but currently I’m a short-order breakfast chef. What can I get you?’
‘Are there eggs? Over easy with bacon?’ said Austin.
‘No eggs,’ said Becca, still in a friendly tone, although she probably realised Austin hadn’t been joking. Surely he must know there were no eggs or bacon available at present? ‘Banana pancakes?’
‘That’s what’s on the menu,’ said Cass, liking Becca a little bit more.
