‘Look, I didn’t know Mikey well. I can’t stand here and claim to be heartbroken. But he was a really good guy – fun and funny and charming . . .’ She couldn’t believe she was talking about him in the past tense. ‘We’d made plans to meet in St Moritz next week. It’s where Kit’s competing,’ she added as she saw Tom’s eyebrows shoot up in a ‘la-di-da’ way.

Tom looked blank. ‘Kit?’

‘Kit Foley. My snowboarder. The one I’m making the film about.’

‘Oh. Right.’ He nodded. Recognition dawned suddenly on his face. ‘Oh – Foley! He’s the guy Orsini-Rosenberg’s signed up.’

‘That’s right,’ Clover said, faintly bemused that her own brother associated Kit’s name with Julian and not Cory. ‘Do you know Julian?’

‘Julian? No.’ Tom gave a smile. ‘But I know his brothers. And his father.’ He gave a low whistle.

‘What does that mean?’

‘Let’s just say, you wouldn’t want to be sitting around that family dinner table now. They are feeling the heat.’

‘From what?’

‘Fending off a hostile takeover bid. Noble Hotels Group has been circling them for eighteen months now. They’re in scorched earth mode – selling off assets left, right and centre trying to stay alive; meanwhile Junior’s wanting to play at being a snow mogul, thinking that’s the answer to all their problems.’ Tom pointed at her as he remembered something. ‘Didn’t this Foley get into a fight, right when Rosenberg made his big announcement about sponsoring some . . . tour?’

‘Yes.’

Tom laughed. ‘I mean, you couldn’t make it up.’ He shook his head. ‘My advice, if that guy gives you a tip for the horses, do the opposite! Midas he is not.’

Clover rolled her eyes. ‘Thanks, but my involvement with him is very limited. He’s just been useful to me for getting Kit to play ball. If it wasn’t for him, there’d have been no film.’

‘Yes, I’m sure he can be very persuasive. He’s well connected and charming – just no businessman.’

Charlie lifted up the baby and sniffed her nappy. ‘Yep. Time for a change,’ she said with a roll of her eyes. ‘Back in a bit. Tom, get the fire going, won’t you? And open that bottle of red. Clo must be dying for a drink.’

‘I just made her a tea!’

‘She didn’t travel all the way over here for tea, Tom.’ Charlie and Bella left the room, taking the distinctive odour with them.

‘Is my wife who’s always right, right?’ Tom asked her. ‘Do you need something stronger than tea?’

‘. . . Yes.’

He looked at her for a moment, seeing her paleness. He walked over and gave her a long hug, the only person in the world who loved her. ‘Come on then, sis. To the kitchen.’