‘And I’ve one or two things to do myself,’ Thea added, thinking of her ‘to do’ list, which got longer and longer as every hour passed.

Ben’s eyebrows flicked upwards. ‘Get Petal back to do it for you. Tell her exactly what to say about your and Rory’s romantic status, and when the private view is.’

‘Molly’s insisting on canapés, so we have to know how many people are likely to come.’

‘Many more than you’ve invited, that’s for sure. Have you made a list of which papers you’ve spoken to?’

‘Yes,’ said Thea, crossing her fingers behind her back, hoping that, if she was quick, she would remember and could make one.

‘I’d better get on to the caterer,’ said Molly. ‘I hope she can manage the extra numbers.’

‘But first, can you ring Petal and ask if her father can bring her over? I can’t keep racing back up the stairs every time the phone rings and I’ve got things to see to down there,’ Thea pleaded.

‘You need a portable phone that you can carry around with you.’

‘Yes, I know. But right now I need Petal. Please, Molly –’ The phone rang again.

‘I’ll use my mobile,’ said Molly, as Thea picked it up.

‘I’ll have a look round,’ said Ben. ‘If you don’t mind.’

Thea was on the phone, so she couldn’t tell him that actually, she minded very much. She wanted to show him round herself.

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

The next time the phone rang Thea made Molly answer it and went down to see what Ben was up to. She felt terribly cheated that she hadn’t been there to show it to him, to see his face when he saw the paintings properly hung for the first time.

He was downstairs in the large gallery, with the painted floor laid over the glue-covered boards. He turned when he heard her come in. ‘It’s fabulous. They look wonderful. You’ve done a brilliant job.’

‘I only got the pictures up on the walls. It’s Rory who’s brilliant.’

He shook his head. ‘The setting is important and it’s worked out just right.’

Thea bit her lip. She’d so yearned for his praise, but now that she’d had it she didn’t know what to say.

‘Thank you for writing to Toby,’ Ben said. ‘He was thrilled to get the letter.’

‘Oh, good. You know he wrote to me? I felt I had to answer.’ What she really wanted to know was whether Ben had read her letter to Toby.

‘It was kind of you to think of a small boy when you’ve got so much else on your plate.’

Thea smiled. ‘It wasn’t a small boy, it was Toby! That’s quite different. He and I are friends.’

‘But you and I can’t be?’