‘My dad’s fault?’ I say, staggered.

‘He’s dragged him off on some wild goose chase.’ Suze’s eyes blaze at me accusingly. ‘Apparently he’s got to “put something right”. What is it? What’s he got to put right? Where’ve they gone?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘You must have some idea.’

‘No! I don’t!’

‘Didn’t you talk to your dad, Bex? Don’t you know what he’s doing here? Weren’t you interested?’ Suze sounds so scathing that I flinch. First Mum, then Luke, now Suze.

‘I was going to talk to him.’ I know how feeble this sounds, and a warm shame creeps over me. Why didn’t I sit down properly with Dad? ‘All I know is it was something to do with some old friend from a trip, years ago.’

‘Some old friend,’ repeats Suze sarcastically. ‘Could you be any more vague?’

Her tone is so lacerating, I suddenly find myself lashing back. ‘Why are you blaming me? It’s not my fault!’

‘It is your fault! You’ve totally ignored your dad, so he’s latched on to Tarkie! They were drunk last night, you know that? Tarkie’s in a vulnerable place at the moment. He shouldn’t be getting drunk. Your dad’s a total alkie.’

‘No he isn’t! If anything, Tarquin got him drunk.’

‘Rubbish.’

‘It’s not rubbish!’

We’re both glaring at each other, and I suddenly realize we’ll wake Minnie, standing here and yelling.

‘Look,’ I say more quietly. ‘Look, I’ll find out. I’ll find out where they’ve gone. We’ll track them down.’

‘Where’s Luke?’

I feel a spasm of pain, but hide it. I don’t feel like sharing this evening’s events with Suze right now.

‘Gone back to the UK,’ I say matter-of-factly. ‘He has to talk to the Treasury.’

‘Great. Just great.’ Suze lifts her hands and drops them despairingly. ‘I thought he’d be able to help.’

She looks so devastated, I feel instantly nettled. So what if Luke’s away? We don’t need him. We don’t need a man. I may have messed up on this, but I can put things right.

‘I’ll help,’ I say, with determination. ‘I’ll do it. I’ll find them, Suze. I promise.’

PLEASEGIVEGENEROUSLY.COM

Give to the world … share with the world … enhance the world …

YOU HAVE REACHED THE PLEDGE PAGE OF:

DANNY KOVITZ

Personal message from Danny Kovitz

Dear Friends

As many of you know, this is my year of ‘giving back’, of ‘challenging myself’, of ‘taking myself to a whole new place’.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have sadly had to cancel my planned schedule of endeavors. However, I am now going to undertake a different – though equally taxing – set of challenges, which I list below. Please follow the links and pledge generously, my darling, wonderful friends.

Miami cocktail challenge

Spa challenge (Chiva Som)

Spa challenge (Golden Door)

Cruise challenge (Caribbean)

If any of you would like to join me in these endeavors, please do. Let’s change the world together.

Big love

Danny xxx

TWENTY-ONE

Where am I supposed to start? I mean, how do you find a middle-aged man and a slightly troubled aristocrat who could be anywhere in LA, or California or … anywhere?