The tide was out, revealing a smooth expanse of sand before endless ocean. Overhead, high white wisps of cloud offered occasional breaks in a blue canvas, as if Mother Nature had chosen this moment to flaunt the gifts she’d bestowed on Northland.

“Nice of you to join us, Your Ladyship,” Brogan called, earning her a little elbow nudge from Emma and a laugh from Talia. “These two have been rewriting your movie in your absence.”

“Not the whole thing,” Emma said, “a few tweaks here and there.”

“We’re waiting for Sophia’s input before we give the amendments to Cobie.”

“Where is our leading lady?” Sophia asked as she joined them.

“I got a text saying Cobie’s out of hair and makeup and should be here any moment.”

“So long as Esther and Diane don’t waylay her along the route again,” Sophia muttered.

“It’ll be fine,” Vic said confidently. “I gave Reggie ten quid to be Cobie’s bodyguard and handler between the Raven and the beach.”

“You didn’t.” Brogan groaned, no doubt thinking about how serious her teenage niece could be when given a task that came with any sort of gravitas. Still, everyone on set found the kid utterly charming, and what was the point of having the power to choose her own staff if Vic couldn’t build up some of Northland’s finest along the way?

On that note, she scanned the beach for another one of her new charges. She spotted Ollie, the student filmmaker. He stood down the shore a little farther with a Steadicam strapped to his chest.

“He was the first one here this morning,” Brogan said as she followed Vic’s gaze. “I know his parents live down the coast, but he’s here so much these days, we talked about offering him my old room at Charlie’s.”

“Just don’t take his edge off,” Sophia said, a hint of warmth in her voice. “He’s the hungriest of all the students we have on the project, and I like him that way. I may even turn him into an assistant director someday if he grows into the title.”

“Speaking of titles,” Emma cut back in, “any word from your government contact on how the wedding might affect the title?”

“The wedding won’t change much that we can tell,” Vic acknowledged, but the subject didn’t inspire the same tension in her as it had in the past. Of course, she still felt a little prick of indignation at the injustice of women having unequal rights of inheritance, but the conflict felt more general and academic than it ever had. “I honestly haven’t given it much thought lately.”

They all eyed her as if finding that hard to believe.