‘Well I hope it doesn’t,’ said Isobel, ‘because as far as Louisa’s concerned I’m sure it’s just wanting pastures new and the grass being greener and all that stuff . . . but with Marnie it’s serious. I have a feeling that she’s had so many rejections in her life that if this went wrong she’d be completely devastated.’ She added: ‘So you’re not to do any stirring, you old control freak.’

‘We’ve got enough problems in our own lives without my wanting to get involved in theirs,’ said Giles. ‘There was a telephone message from your dear sister while we were reeling. She’s going to ring tomorrow. Apparently she and lover-boy have arrived in London – and that’s far too close for comfort, so our guests will have to manage their own romances without my help or hindrance. Goodnight, my darling. I think that was a highly successful week, and didn’t our little daughter do us proud at the concert?’

He kissed her goodnight, turned over and was asleep almost immediately, but Isobel lay awake for a long time, her mind a turmoil of conflicting thoughts.

Chapter Eighteen

Isobel had informed the writing group that a help-yourself breakfast would be laid out in the bar area between eight o’clock and ten thirty on Sunday morning for anyone who wanted it and that the Glendrochatt minibus would be ready at nine to take the three departing guests to Perth station. Those staying on for the second week were very welcome, she assured them, to remain at Glendrochatt during the day and make themselves at home in the house, or the garden; tea and coffee-making facilities would be available as usual but she would be grateful if they would make their own arrangements for lunch. She and Giles hoped to see them all again for dinner in the main house at eight o’clock.

Louisa, Christopher and Marnie, welcoming the thought of a lie-in on Sunday morning, made their farewells to their fellow writers on Saturday night after the dancing had finished, with promises to keep in touch, but Morwenna and the Colonel both appeared for breakfast at eight fifteen. In the Colonel’s case this was because a lie-in was not something that had ever been in his vocabulary of luxuries and in Morwenna’s because she felt she should be there to wave Joyce off on the long journey back to Cornwall.