‘What? Those bloody Belgians and their bloody dog? How could you?’

‘I was under the obviously mistaken impression that we were running a B&B.’

‘Well, you’ll have to tell them you got it wrong.’

‘No way!’

Steph ignored him and headed for the kitchen to remove the beef casserole that had been cooking on a very low heat all day and should by now be falling-off-the-bone tender from the oven – only to find that it had somehow been turned off.

‘Sorry, I’m afraid that was me,’ confessed David. ‘I thought it was finished and was thinking of the planet.’

‘Can’t you even do the one thing you were asked?’ Steph demanded furiously. ‘So now our guests will have to eat undercooked beef – just because you were incompetent enough to turn off the oven for some half-baked notion of yours?’

‘Children, children.’ Meredith decided it was time to intervene. ‘I will finish laying the tables and assist Steph with anything last-minute that needs doing. I’m sure if you whack it back in the oven on high, it’ll be done on time.’

‘Thank you, Elizabeth David!’ snapped Steph.

‘I’ll help too,’ Jo offered, more than a little shocked at her friend’s tone.

‘Don’t worry,’ Steph replied, turning the oven back on irritably. ‘Too many cooks. You go and finish unpacking and when you come down you can pour us a drink.’

‘OK.’ Jo decided it might be better to leave them to it. Besides, she had a lot to think about. ‘See you girls in half an hour or so.’

She went up to her bedroom, wondering what she’d change into. People dressed up for dinner here and she couldn’t decide what to wear.

She reached up for her suitcase, which she’d stored on the top shelf of her wardrobe, to get out the last of her clothes, thinking about what she’d say to Sophie.

What was that funny shape in the front pouch? She put her hand in and withdrew a curious purple sculpture. Oh God! It was the Happy Rabbit. Liz must have slipped it in when Jo had gone upstairs to print her boarding pass.

Blushing furiously even though she was alone in the room, Jo wrapped the object in a scarf and tucked it behind her shoes. Surely not even Marcelline would start rummaging around in Jo’s slightly smelly trainers.

She surveyed the small selection of clothes she’d brought with her and selected a cappuccino-coloured linen shift dress. It was old but highly flattering. She brushed out her hair, surveying her shoulder-length bob and realizing it needed tidying up, as usual, added earrings and a scarf and decided she’d pass. If Meredith really went through with this château purchase, she’d have to get Liz to send on some more of her stuff.