‘My pleasure,’ she said with a smile. ‘I propose a toast, to—’
‘Happy ever afters,’ butted in Bunty, raising her glass.
Jasmine and Robin swapped another look before raising their glasses too.
‘Happy ever afters!’ they all chorused.
After a splendid meal of beef wellington, followed by cheesecake, they sat drinking Irish coffees, feeling suitably stuffed, if not a little tipsy from all the champagne. Bunty’s tongue began to loosen, which didn’t take much considering she was already a straight talker. As drink often did with her, it brought to the surface emotions she’d otherwise managed to keep under wraps when stone-cold sober.
‘I love this house, as you know,’ she started, then hiccupped.
‘We know you do,’ said Jasmine comfortingly.
‘But it cost me to stay here, with daddy,’ Bunty continued sadly.
Robin frowned, not knowing where this was heading, and flicked a concerned glance at Jasmine.
‘He hated Perry, you see, wouldn’t let him near the place,’ Bunty carried on in a melancholy undertone. She hiccupped again. ‘He didn’t want him near me either, but I defied him you know.’
There was a stilted silence before Jasmine spoke.
‘Bunty, I think I know where Perry is.’
It took a few moments for Jasmine’s statement to sink in.
‘Pardon?’ Bunty blinked.
‘Just a minute,’ said Jasmine and got up from the table. Within minutes she’d returned with her laptop. Quickly she found the Facebook page where Perry appeared with three other men. She enlarged it and went to show it Bunty. ‘Is this Perry?’
Bunty swallowed. She’d know that face anywhere. Slowly her eyes swept from the screen to rest on Jasmine.
‘Yes,’ she replied and gulped again. ‘I don’t understand…’
‘He owns a narrowboat. We bought a water pump off him a few years ago and I managed to find him on this group page, then traced his boat and personal details.’
Bunty visibly paled.
‘Perry Scholar lives in Lancaster,’ said Jasmine in a soft voice.
After a few moments of silence, Robin gently suggested they all turn in.
‘It’s been quite a night, ladies, I think we should all get some sleep.’
Chapter 21
It was a very subdued Bunty who climbed wearily up the stairs, followed by Jasmine and Robin. The dinner party had ended on a bit of a cliff hanger moment. It had well and truly given Bunty food for thought. Gone was her usual candid bonhomie, to be replaced with a still, reflective mood. She turned to them when reaching the landing.
‘Good night, darlings. Robin, you’re in the Blue Room.’ Then, without another word she disappeared into her own bedroom, leaving Jasmine and Robin staring after her. After hearing the door slam shut, Jasmine looked sheepishly at Robin.
‘Do you think I should have told her about Perry?’ she asked, eyes searching his face.
‘Yes, why not tell her?’ replied Robin.
‘It’s made an impact on her though, hasn’t it?’
Jasmine heaved a sigh and sank onto the chaise lounge in the landing corridor. She leant forward and put her head in her hands, feeling fuzzy and confused.
‘Oh Robin, what have I done? I shouldn’t have interfered with things that don’t concern me,’ she whined.
