Pieces of paperwork littered the table: bills, receipts and invoices. She sat at the desk and started going through the filing cabinets, searching each folder, just in case it had been hurriedly put inside to get it out of the way.

Almost an hour later she gave up the search.

Sally had not returned the photo album. Theresa wondered if she might have taken it up to her house for safekeeping.

As Theresa came up the stairs to the kitchen, the back door opened.

‘What a shock!’ Bearing a large box, Cyril stood at the door. Theresa could see that he had visibly paled. ‘I thought you were at London.’

‘Yes,’ explained Theresa. ‘And now I am back.’

‘You gave me fright!’ Cyril put the box on the counter and asked Theresa to sign for its receipt. ‘It’s lovely that you are back. Your granddaughter is returned?’

‘We’re not sure where she is yet.’

Loud chattering echoing in the tiny lane outside foretold the arrival of Benjamin and William.

On the sight of Theresa they stood stock-still for some seconds.

‘What are you doing here?’

Sensing tension, Cyril buried his head in his order book checking his deliveries against the dockets.

Suddenly he let out an exasperated sigh and banged the heel of his palm on his forehead.

‘Merde, I’ve forgotten the pork. I’ll be back later.’ Cyril excused himself and hastily left.

‘We were about to put up the “Due to unforeseeable circumstances we are closed” sign.’

Theresa could see a nasty glint in William’s eye. He was spoiling for a fight.

‘As we seem to be the only two people left working in this enterprise, we thought we might as well just shut up shop and be done with it.’

‘I’m sorry, William, you’re going to have to explain.’

‘Oh, don’t worry. We will,’ snapped Benjamin. ‘First, you waltz off without so much as a by-your-leave. Next thing Carol gets stuck up in La Turbie, along with the van, and now Sally has buggered off as well. By text message, if you please! The rats have deserted the sinking ship, leaving Muggins and Friend.’

‘Excuse me, Theresa!’ William shoved past her, heading for the dining room and the front door of the restaurant. ‘There are things to do here. Like watching a ship with no lifeboats smash into an iceberg.’

‘Thank God, you’re back.’ Benjamin lowered his voice to talk to Theresa. ‘It’s been a hellish couple of days. You cannot imagine. And he’s gone right off the rails.’

‘Sorry, Benjamin, but I’m not exactly back—’

‘You have to be back, Theresa. You are physically standing in front of me.’

‘But I was—’

‘Please do the lunch today. Please!’ He threw himself to his knees. Theresa was worried for his designer trousers. The floor looked none too clean.

‘There’s nothing here for me to cook,’ she said. ‘Do get up, Benjamin.’