Dale, Nemmie and Zara step forward in turn to hand over the goods, and Lando looks down at the stack of boxes he’s grasping.
Nemmie grins. ‘Don’t eat them all at once!’
Dale’s staring beyond Lando into the hall. ‘Is this a smuggler’s cottage? Have you got secret passages?’
Lando laughs. ‘I only arrived last week, I’ll let you know if I find any.’
Nemmie’s eyes are bright. ‘We could help you look?’
Lando looks horrified. ‘Unfortunately… I’m on my way out.’
Dale’s straight on to him. ‘Have you got a Range Rover Autobiography like Uncle Salvador used to?’
Lando shakes his head. ‘I drive a Golf hybrid. It’s kinder to the planet and easier to park. Anyway, thanks for the cake. Let me get something for you from the kitchen before you go.’
He bobs inside the door with the boxes, then reappears carrying a large bag of small sugar-coated eggs. He hands them to Nemmie and rolls his eyes at me. ‘They’re Cadbury’s, so I’m afraid they won’t be vegan either.’
Dale and Nemmie scrutinise the packet, and Nemmie pipes up. ‘This is a family pack.’ She gives Lando her hardest stare. ‘Do you have kids?’
Lando’s eyes pop open. ‘Definitely not.’ He looks like a rabbit caught in headlights, then he firms up. ‘I have a large capacity for chocolate, the small packs don’t touch the sides.’
Dale leans over the buggy and ruffles Flo’s hair. ‘Don’t rule kids out, Lando, the small ones are very cute, and they’re less trouble than you’d think.’
Lando’s eyes are even wider. ‘I’ll stick to whales, thanks all the same.’
Nemmie wrinkles her nose. ‘We like seals better because they’re easier to find.’
I step in with an explanation. ‘Long before Lando modelled wedding gear and started buying up Salvador’s sites, he studied marine life.’
Nemmie carries on. ‘My dad works with polar bears. And giraffes. And elephants at risk of extinction.’ She sees that she’s lost him and changes tack. ‘Mum’s M&M cookies are next level; we could bring you some of those next time she bakes?’
Lando is shaking his head. ‘This is already more than enough. And now I do need to go; I’m running very late.’ He pulls some car keys out of his pocket, closes the cottage door behind him, and we part to let him through. He hurries away and halfway across the quayside he turns and calls, ‘Great to meet you all, thanks again.’
Nemmie nudges Dale. ‘Was that rude? Rushing off?’ She sniffs. ‘He was still wearing his “save the dolphins” slippers.’
I have to defend him under this level of attack. ‘We’re in Cornwall. There is no such thing as a footwear code.’
Nemmie narrows her eyes. ‘Or maybe he was so anxious to get away, he forgot to put on his shoes.’
I step in again. ‘Give the man a break. You sounded ready to turn the place over looking for historical artefacts. This way he sidestepped that.’
Dale tilts his head. ‘Only for today.’
I’m putting the brakes on this. ‘With Lando’s schedules, we’re unlikely to find him home again, so forget the urban archaeology.’
Nemmie holds up the bag. ‘He has good taste in eggs.’
I laugh. ‘We have to give him that.’
Nemmie considers. ‘He can’t be all bad if he’s a chocolate face.’
Said by the biggest cocoa fan in the family, but I’m not going to remind her of that. Right now, I’m simply relieved that the two of them have locked eyes with no immediate visible recognition on either side.
No wonder Lando legged it. If he was terrified before, he’ll be off the scale now.
And with that job out of the way, I’m onto the next challenge: telling Lando the truth about Nemmie.
JUNE
