Hattie shook her head and took an olive from the bowl that had just appeared at her side. ‘You know me. Ican’t risk losing him.’ But was she still so sure she would lose him? She felt more confused about Luke than ever.
Rose pursed her lips again. ‘OK, so tell me about your parents’ party.’
Hattie took a big sip of wine, draining the glass. ‘Well! The big news there was that I forgot my outfit!’
Sam topped up her wine and put another bowl next to the olives. ‘Chocolate-covered almonds with sea salt. I made them myself.’
‘You forgot your outfit?’ Rose was horrified.
‘Sam? You are an actual angel.’ Hattie squeezed his arm before he retreated to the other sofa. She turned to Rose. ‘I know! I had so many lists. I remembered everything – your bag of emergency supplies really came into its own. I was super-organised and yet, somehow, the outfit is still on its hanger, under its cover, in Mary’s house which I may never get into again.’
‘Oh, don’t worry about that!’ said Rose with a flap of her hand. ‘We’ll break in. So what did you wear instead?’
‘My peacock-coloured silk dress! Lennie lent me her black leather jacket and a little neckerchief. To try to make it more daytime.’
‘I do hope there are pictures,’ said Rose.
‘There are loads. Some on my phone. Do you want to look now?’
‘Later,’ said Rose. ‘I want to know about Mary.’
This was the less entertaining bit of the story and by the time Hattie had finished it, Sam and Rose were both looking angry.
Hattie suddenly felt tireder than ever. ‘Honestly, I seem to have spent so much time sorting out everyone else and yet somehow I’m homeless, again, and depending on good friends for a roof over my head.’
‘Which, considering your line of work, could be seen as bad management,’ said Sam.
‘But not your fault!’ Rose put in hastily. ‘You haven’t done anything wrong and yet—’
‘I still find myself in this ridiculous situation,’ said Hattie. ‘I am definitely going to make finding myself a home, that’s mine to live in, a top priority. Just as soon as Mary is properly settled.’
‘I have to leave really early tomorrow. I’ve got a meeting,’ said Sam. ‘But if you two want to break into Mary’s house in the morning, I’ll dig out my tools.’
‘It seems the only answer,’ said Hattie.
‘Haven’t you got a locksmith on speed dial?’ asked Rose, possibly shocked by Hattie’s reaction to the problem.
‘Of course, but the call-out fee is terrifying. I’d rather deal with this ourselves if we can.’
‘I’ll call Anne and ask her to open up the shop for me,’ said Rose. ‘Now, Hattie? What else do you need?’
After a little more chatting and nibbling Hattie got into a scented bath that Rose had run for her. Then she picked her way round the numerous boxes of stock for the shop that filled Rose and Sam’s spare bedroom, got into bed and slept.
Chapter Thirty-One
‘How are you feeling this morning?’ asked Rose when Hattie appeared in the kitchen the following morning.
‘Great, actually,’ she said. ‘I slept like a log and now I feel I can take on the world! Or Clive, whichever one challenges me first.’
Rose laughed and put a large mug of tea by Hattie. ‘So you’re not daunted by the prospect of a little breaking and entering? Toast?’
‘Yes, please. And no, I’ve sometimes had to be a bit – er – creative – in how I’ve got into some houses I’ve gone to view. Not with clients, of course. But sometimes the doors are completely seized up.’
‘Well, Sam’s left his tools,’ said Rose. She pointed to a worn hessian bag by the back door. ‘They were his dad’s. I’m not sure what’s in there.’
Hattie nodded. ‘I’m sure we’ll find something that does the job.’
‘So, what will you do when you’ve liberated your things, and Mary’s, of course?’
