‘It’ll be something, that’s for sure.’ Sam folded her arms and gave him a hard stare. ‘Thank you. This is probably the maddest festival decision I’ve ever made but beggars can’t be choosers so let’s get you into an apron, Mathias, and start licking you into shape.’

Chapter Twenty-Six

It had been with a heavy heart that Chloe had phoned Sam to break the news that she wanted to leave the festival at such a crucial time. She felt awful for bailing out with less than forty-eight hours to go but Sam had been amazing about it. ‘Family comes first,’ she’d said, with genuine feeling.

Chloe was sure Sam was putting on a brave face but she’d made her decision now. While she collected some stuff and waited for Drew to bring his car round to the flat, she tried to delegate some of her jobs for the day to other volunteers but it had been hard to find anyone at such short notice. She’d promised to stay contactable by phone and the journey up to Bristol had given her the chance to make and take a few essential calls. It had also helped divert her mind from what she might face once she reached Hannah’s flat.

It was lunchtime before they drove into Clifton, a chic suburb of the city, and managed to find a parking space almost opposite Hannah’s flat.

Drew turned to Chloe who was sitting in the passenger seat of his Land Rover. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to come up to Hannah’s flat with you?’

‘No. Thanks. You stay here. I’m sure you need to get on with some work calls,’ she said to Drew. ‘I feel bad enough for bunking off myself, let alone dragging you with me at such a crucial time.’

Now she was here, all thoughts of work had evaporated. There was no denying she was about as nervous as she’d ever been in her life. Sunlight shining through the trees dappled the pavements and added a mellow glow to the brick and stone facades of the Georgian houses, but Chloe was in turmoil. Her heart pounded. Her throat was dry. She’d had second, third and twenty-third thoughts about the trip from the moment they’d driven out of Porthmellow earlier that morning. Even with Jordan gone, would Hannah still reject her?

The flat was situated at the top of a row of once-grand townhouses. It was on the very edge of the trendy area, but hadn’t seen as much of the gentrification as the streets they’d driven through, which reminded Chloe of fashionable suburbs of London, with their pavement cafés and boutique shops.