‘Louisa’s absolutely fine, very well – did you want to speak to her? I think she’s only gone to make a call to her parents about going home on her way south. Shall I ask her to ring you back?’

‘No, don’t worry. Give her my love and say we’ll see her in London as we planned, when we all get back. I’ve got her number. And I’ll give Isobel a ring over the weekend.’

‘Yes, you do that. We’re all missing you very much. Good luck with everything.’

‘Well?’ asked Christopher, as Marnie put the telephone down, looking very relieved. ‘Everything all right?’

‘Fine,’ said Marnie. She came and sat on the arm of his chair. ‘You were right, of course . . . I was over-reacting this morning. Please forget I was so stupid.’

‘I could never think you stupid,’ said Christopher. ‘But I’m glad all’s well with Louisa. Now let’s think of us and plan our day tomorrow.’

Chapter Twenty-eight

Isobel sat back in her seat on the train to London on Friday morning and closed her eyes, thankful that she would have several uninterrupted hours in which to try to order her thoughts. She knew that the evening ahead of her would be testing and that important issues for the whole family depended on what she managed to achieve.

Running Glendrochatt as an arts centre was always busy, often challenging and occasionally taxing, but for the most part Isobel adored her life, revelled in the variety of people who came on the courses and got great satisfaction from encouraging their differing interests and talents; she loved the fun and challenge of running a joint venture with Giles, took great pleasure in the concerts which had become such popular events locally and felt proud that they had succeeded in transforming Giles’s ancestral home into a flourishing concern, which enabled them to keep it as a home for their children. The downside was that it wasn’t always easy to find time for private life.

After they’d gone to bed on Wednesday night, she and Giles had lain awake for hours discussing the unexpected turn events had taken, trying to look at possibilities for the future from every conceivable angle, discussing the problems they might face if they were successful in their bid to have Rory living with them on a semi-permanent footing, even considering his possible adoption; anticipating the difficulties she might be faced with when she met Lorna.

Giles had very much wanted to come to London with her, but though in some ways it would have been lovely to have his company and support, Isobel felt strongly that she would cope with Lorna better on her own.