‘Bugger,’ Luke said mildly. ‘I’ve gotta say, I never thought they’d go for it! Anyway, it’s not a project yet, just the faintest possibility.’

‘You still lose. Just as well Connor’s room is made up.’

‘Connor’s?’ He lifted one brow at her, an annoying mannerism that she had never been able to imitate. ‘He doesn’t own it, does he?’

Flustered, she said, ‘You know what I mean. Anyway, your dinner’s wrapped on the hob. Hadn’t you better get going? Those kids I mentioned were really looking forward to your talk tonight.’

‘Yeah, right. I suppose I’ll hear all about the WPA in the morning.’

Graeme McGuire described himself modestly as the Wildlife Protection Association’s bookkeeper. He looked to be in his mid-forties, his hair greying and his body thickening through the waist, though still trim overall. He had the tanned appearance of an outdoors man and was deeply wrinkled about the eyes. He had come, as she had surmised, to look over Sandstone Springs and study the problems and expense that their development would entail.

Sophie looked tired from the long drive, but she was keyed up too, taking the first opportunity to stop for a private word with her cousin. ‘Thank the Lord you’re on today – I don’t want him starting off with indigestion. Look, could you bear to stay in the kitchen while he’s here? Please, Tilly? The house is always nicer when you’re running it – the boys never get round to sweeping or tidying stuff up. I need him relaxed and positive, not cracking his neck to get away.’

‘Yes, of course, if you think it’ll help. What was his initial reaction to your idea?’

‘Well, he’s here,’ Sophie said. ‘I think that alone is hopeful. It’s a huge amount of money, but building anything here in the north costs double anywhere else. He did say the company’s books were in good shape though, so maybe there’s spare money,’ she added hopefully.

‘But he’s not just an ordinary bookkeeper, is he?’

‘No. He’s the financial director of the whole shebang. Which is another reason why I think he might really go for it. He wouldn’t have come if the company meant to turn the idea down flat. I’ll take him out there tomorrow morning to get him the overview, and then I thought Matt’d be best qualified to give him a tour of the rest in the afternoon. I mean, roads and machinery are his thing. Graeme’ll need a breakdown of equipment costs and structural work. It’ll be guesses at best, but Matt’s would be closer than either Luke’s or mine, and Graeme has to have a figure to start from, even if it’s way out.’