‘You probably shouldn’t mention that. Marta’s jumpy enough about her as it is.’

‘When does Marta leave for America?’

‘Just after New Year. She’ll be there for a couple of months, sorting things out for the Hitchcocks before they make the big move.’

‘And how do you feel about that?’

Josephine shrugged, but she knew that any show of nonchalance wouldn’t fool Archie and she was glad to talk to him about it. Marta’s work for the Hitchcocks was important to her, and although she had refused the offer of a permanent move to Hollywood with them, they valued her enough to let her come and go. Still, Josephine could never entirely rid herself of the fear that one day Marta might not come back. ‘I’ll miss her. I daren’t admit this to her, but I wonder if there’ll come a time when she has to make a choice, especially with war on the horizon.’

‘But surely you know she’d choose you. She always has.’

‘Yes, I know. Keep reminding me of that, would you?’

He smiled. ‘Of course I will.’

‘Anyway, she’ll be here in a minute. You’ve saved us the trouble of coming to find you. Sherry?’ 111

‘Lovely.’ She poured three glasses and passed his across. ‘Did you have a good journey down?’ Archie asked.

‘Yes and no. The train was fine – spectacular, actually, with all the snow – but the first guests we met were a nightmare.’ She told him about the Lancasters and their bickering. ‘What’s even worse is that he’s a fan of my books. I just know I’ll be stuck with him all weekend unless I’m very rude. You too, probably, once he finds out you’re from Scotland Yard.’

Archie grimaced. ‘I can trump that.’ Josephine listened in disbelief as he told her about Barbara Penhaligon’s Nazi chaperone. ‘Marlene was livid. Everything she’s come here to avoid seems to have followed her. I felt so sorry for Hilaria.’

‘It makes you wonder why we all look forward to Christmas, doesn’t it? Still, I suppose if we drink enough …’

He raised his glass. ‘And it’s only a couple of days. What can possibly go wrong?’

112

6

Rachel Lancaster waited until their hostess had left the room, then turned on her husband. ‘For God’s sake, Gerry! That was so humiliating. I don’t know how you could have put us in that position. Now we’ve got to be here all weekend, sitting at their table, drinking their wine, and knowing we owe them money that we really can’t afford.’

‘It was a simple mistake, darling. Miss St Aubyn accepts that. Why can’t you?’

‘Because I know you better than she does.’

She saw his face tighten with the effort to stay calm. ‘It’s Christmas, Rachel, and I doubt very much that I’m the only person to have bounced a cheque. We’ve had a lot of expenses, and I forgot that my bonus wasn’t going to be paid until the end of the month.’