They pulled their bags out of the hall and up to their rooms. Matty and Clover’s room was pretty small for two grown women to share, even without Matty’s overpacking tendencies. Clover was done within five minutes and she looked on in reluctant wonder as packing pods and organization cubes were laid on Matty’s bed and the wardrobes and drawers steadily filled.

Leaving her friend to it, she went across the hall and popped her head into Johnny’s room.

‘How are you getting on in here? Slumming it?’ His bags were untouched and he was lounging on the double bed, a shearling throw draped over his legs as he worked out the remote on his TV. ‘Ha! Make yourself at home, why don’t you!’

‘What?’ he protested. ‘We had an early start and we’ve been travelling all day. They’re not back yet and like you said, we’ve got six weeks here. It’s not like every single minute counts. I just wanna chill before Ari “Evil Eye” Jones murders me in my sleep.’

‘He’s not going to murder you in your sleep,’ she grinned, but he refused to look consoled. ‘Listen, I came over to see if you wanted to . . .’ She jerked her head towards the ceiling. ‘Come and check out upstairs?’

Johnny looked panicky as he immediately realized she didn’t mean the living room. ‘You mean the bedrooms?’

She nodded.

‘Clo! That’s breaking and entering!’

She rolled her eyes. ‘How can it be breaking in if we’re already in?’

‘And if Fin catches us? He specifically said no and that would be so awkward.’

‘Yes, but he’s locked away in the kitchen. And if he did catch us, we would just say curiosity got the better of us. No biggie. I mean, where’s the harm in just having a peek?’

Johnny cocked an eyebrow, looking distinctly unconvinced. As far as he was concerned, there was harm all around.

Clover sighed. ‘Listen, this isn’t exactly planned and I appreciate it may not be my wisest idea ever . . . On the other hand, the housekeeper’s got her day off and they’re all out . . . We might not get another opportunity like this.’

‘But what do you want to do up there?’

‘Nothing. I just want to look.’

‘You mean snoop.’

‘Fine. Snoop, then . . . I want to get a sense of him before we meet. You can tell a lot about someone from their private spaces.’

Johnny smirked.

‘Bedrooms! You know I meant bedrooms!’ she groaned. ‘I’m not going to do anything or take anything. I just want to get a glimpse of how he lives when no one’s watching. He gives practically nothing away in public; he’s like a machine in press interviews. This is just a chance to have a peep behind the curtain.’

‘What about Matty? Why can’t she go?’

‘Because apparently she lives here now and she’s still got the kitchen sink to unpack.’ She pressed her hands together in prayer. ‘Please, Johnny. Don’t make me go on my own.’