‘Hmm …’ Chloe considered. ‘That’s not so good.’ She looked deflated, and if Chloe seemed beaten, they really were in trouble. The festival had grown from its early days and made a small profit but it was run on a very tight budget. There was no way they could afford to lose thousands of pounds.

‘I suppose there’s no chance of us recovering the money we’ve already paid him?’ Sam asked, clutching at straws.

Chloe wrinkled her nose. ‘Well, I did broach the subject with his PA and she said she’d try to see what she could do, but wasn’t hopeful. From experience, I think we’ll just join a long list of creditors and be right at the bottom of the pile. I doubt if there’s any point trying to sue.’

‘We can put it to the committee tomorrow evening,’ said Sam, giving herself a mental shake. They couldn’t let this setback, big though it was, ruin the festival, although she had no idea what she was going to do.

‘In the meantime, I’ll have a think about what we might be able to do. Perhaps we can get one of the local chefs to step in, although Kris was going to be a big draw and get lots of publicity. Thanks for trying, though …’ She slapped her hand on her forehead. ‘Arghh. We’ll have to change all the posters we just hung. They have Kris’s name splashed across them.’

‘Yes, we will.’ Chloe grimaced. ‘Although I suppose that’s the least of our worries now. I’ll phone around some of my contacts in the events world and see if anyone has any bright ideas. Give me a couple of hours?’

‘Anything you can suggest would be brilliant. Thanks, Chloe. I don’t know what the committee – or I – would do without you.’

Chloe beamed. ‘Ditto. It’s given me something to do since I moved to Porthmellow but you must let me know if you think I’m taking over?’

‘Don’t worry, I will but you’re not,’ said Sam, revising her opinion of Chloe being a little over-enthusiastic. She was very grateful for her help.

‘I’ll keep you posted.’

‘I’ll WhatsApp the rest of the committee and have a think while I get on with work. I’m late opening as it is and Stefan will be fuming.’

Sam and Chloe hurried off in opposite directions. In two minutes, Sam had reached the small unit on the mini trading estate on the outskirts of Porthmellow. The food festival was important, but she also had a business to run.