Nina nodded approvingly, and Jess was soon tucked up in the room adjoining her son’s.Stan found Leo’s spare sleeping bag and settled down on the biggest sofa, and Leo, after checking that all his guests had everything they needed, curled up on the other one, leaving Harry and Nina tidying the kitchen.The door was slightly ajar, and Stan tried his best not to listen at first, but was soon intrigued by the conversation going on in the next room.
‘So, love, what about you?Shall I walk you home now?’he heard Harry ask.
The sound of running water drowned his next words, but then Stan heard Nina say, ‘And what’s the alternative, Harry?’There was a pause, and Stan, riveted now, leaned towards the kitchen, straining his ears.Leo had already fallen into a deep sleep and was snuffling annoyingly.Stan debated prodding him to make him turn over but decided against it.Leo would probably wake up with a yell and give the game away.
He just managed to pick up Harry saying, ‘Well, I’m not letting you be alone in your house tonight, even if that phone call was a hoax, so I guess the choices are either that I walk you home and sleep on your sofa to make sure you’re safe, or… to be extra specially secure, you could sleep here, in my nice big double bed?’
‘And where would you sleep, Harry?’Leo had settled into a more peaceful sleep now, and only the sound of cool jazz on the radio could now be heard.It was some moments before Nina said rather breathlessly, ‘I’d have to put my alarm on to make sure I’m up and dressed before Jess finds me in your room.’
‘That’s a small price to pay for having you in my arms all night, my love.’
‘And Harry… I’m very, very out of practice, you know.’
‘Well, you know what they say practice makes, don’t you?’
They both laughed softly, and Stan closed his eyes so that he wouldn’t be tempted to grin as they tiptoed passed him hand in hand on the way to Harry’s bedroom.
20
Mab was up early the next morning but was surprised to find Nina already in the kitchen, drinking black coffee and lining up a variety of breakfast items along the worktop.Nina was looking very relaxed.Her hair was ruffled, and she was wearing a large shirt and not much else as far as Mab could tell.Bustling around happily, Nina got out a jar of her own homemade muesli, some cornflakes, some yoghurt and fresh pineapple from the fridge, and a selection of crusty rolls.Maurice was weaving around Nina’s feet, mewing plaintively, his small black paws with their white socks kneading her toes.
‘Maurice, stop that, you’re hurting me with your claws.Give me a minute and I’ll open you a tin.Should you be up, Mab?I was going to bring you breakfast in bed,’ said Nina, letting her hair fall over her face as she looked for the can opener.She jumped slightly as she saw Jess come in.
‘Goodness, Mum, what time do you call this?Haven’t you been to bed at all?And how many people are coming for breakfast?’Jess said, putting a couple of slices of bread in the toaster and pouring herself some of Nina’s coffee.Nina laughed, and busied herself laying bacon rashers in a vast frying pan.
‘How much of this do you think I should cook, Jess?Men always eat so much, and there are four of them, plus George.’
‘Chuck a few more in, to be on the safe side.There are plenty of eggs, and this loaf’s fresh, plus there’s one of those mega thick sliced ones in the bread bin, the blokes can have that.Mab, what are you doing up, anyway?’
‘I’m OK, I couldn’t sleep any longer,’ said Mab, trying to ignore the fatty aroma coming from the sizzling pan.‘Oh, look, here’s Harry.You’re up early too.Did you smell breakfast?I think that’s what’s up with this annoying cat.Wait a minute, Maurice, I’ll give you some bacon rinds later.’
Harry grinned across at Mab, and kissed Jess’s cheek.
‘It’s good to have you back in the fold, pet.I bet that boy of yours is hungry too.I’ll go and round the others up.You OK, Nina?Sleep well?’
He left the kitchen before he got an answer; Nina seemed more interested in making sure the bacon didn’t burn.Jess began to get out plates and arrange bread slices as Leo joined them.
‘I’m starving and I’m also shattered,’ said Jess, rubbing her eyes.‘I tossed and turned for hours, worrying about those threats, even with Stan on guard outside the door.How dare some random person frighten us like that?Who could it have been, Leo?’
‘I wish I knew,’ he said.‘Oh, you look great, Mab, are you feeling better?’
All eyes turned to Mab and she felt her face burning.Even though she was feeling groggy and sore, she had made a big effort to look good this morning, tying her mane of hair in a bunch on top of her head and putting on a long black t-shirt dress that clung to her newly streamlined figure.She had even started to hunt for matching earrings but the effort of rummaging through her jewellery box was too much.The pain in her stomach was gnawing away constantly and her back ached in sympathy.
‘I’m fine,’ she said, ‘but let’s sit down, shall we?It’s getting a bit crowded in here.’
Everyone except George gathered around the breakfast table.George had been given special permission to have breakfast in bed, and Maurice soon joined him, having scrounged all the bacon rinds that he could find.Nina bustled round, making sure everyone had enough to eat.
‘You’re not eating, Mab.Are you sure you’re well enough to be up, love?’
‘It’s OK, Nina, I’ll have something later, just a cuppa for now, I think,’ Mab said, pouring herself a mug of tea and shuddering at its orange colour.‘Actually, I’ll just make myself some of that ginger tea, I’ll be with you all in a second, wait for me, won’t you?I don’t want to miss anything.’
Nina gave Mab a brief hug before sitting down again, and Mab couldn’t help noticing that Jess’s mum was glowing with health.Maybe Nina had been on a diet too.If so, it was a more successful one than Mab’s.Losing weight was all very well, but not if it made you look like death warmed up.
The meeting finally got underway, and Leo outlined the problem.
‘As I see it, we’ve got someone, or maybe even a group of people, sabotaging the opening of The Chocolate Cake Bookstore.First they cancelled the book order, meaning that to get enough stock I have to send Harry the length and breadth of the country, wasting valuable time and manpower.Even if he drives around for days, I still can’t get hold of everything I need.Then, the catering firm are cancelled, with similar results.The big one – the arrival of the stupid little grey man – is the really vicious one, because that closed us before we could even open, and then, finally, we’ve got the threats.’
‘I still think we should contact the police,’ said Harry.‘This is too serious for us to deal with on our own, and we’ve got the ladies to think about.’
