He sat back and smiled. ‘Olivia and our general manager are up there trying to tame my wild grandmother, you know. Good luck with that, I said to Olivia. Celine’s quite something when she gets going. She’s writing her biography at the moment. I asked her if Rory and I will be in it. Yes, if we ever do anything interesting, she said. You have to laugh. It’s either that or want to kill her.’

The waitress reappeared, putting the tea in front of Eliza, the brandy in front of Alex.

‘No drinking in work hours, please, Alex,’ Olivia said. They hadn’t noticed her return.

‘Officially speaking, Olivia, I’m not at work,’ he said. ‘I’m on my break.’

‘But you’ll be back behind the front desk in ten minutes. Without alcohol on your breath. Please.’

It was a subtle stand-off. Olivia won.

Alex stood up. ‘Apologies that our reunion was so brief, Eliza, but we’ll see each other again. Only on my days off, Olivia, promise.’

After he’d left, Eliza looked more closely at her godmother. Something was different.

‘Let me guess, you’re wondering if it’s jetlag?’ Olivia said. ‘No, I am wearing different clothes. I’ll explain why shortly. Do you really want that tea or will I finally let you go to your bed?’

She escorted Eliza to her room. ‘I won’t stay long. Just to apologise for the interruption. Our special guest threw what I can only call the mother of all tantrums. She’s very unhappy with our secretarial services. Or lack thereof. She showed it by throwing a cup of tea at me. Fortunately cold tea.’

‘Olivia!’

‘It could have been worse. She nearly hit Lawrence with the actual cup.’

‘Can’t you ask her to leave?’

‘I wish I could. Unfortunately Edgar was so honourable, he put it in writing that she always has a place here with us. She threw that at me today, too. Literally. A balled-up piece of paper. Not the original, of course. A certified copy. She’s had it all confirmed by lawyers.’

‘I don’t know now if I’m dying to meet her or if I never want to.’

‘Go with option two,’ Olivia said as she gave Eliza’s plait a gentle tug. ‘Forget her. I want you to wash your face, clean your teeth and get into bed. There’s a room-service menu for breakfast beside your bed. If I see you before eleven, I’m sending you straight back to Melbourne. Yes, on a plane.’

Eliza did as she was told, luxuriating in the touch of the soft cotton sheets, the weight of the down quilt, the feeling of being completely and utterly looked after. She was fast asleep in minutes.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

It was after ten by the time Eliza woke. Her first thought was disturbing. She had nothing to do.

It had been years since she could say that. Even at uni, her life had been ruled by lengthy to-do lists. Preparing for this trip to Edinburgh had fulfilled that need too. Packing. Finishing up with Gillian. There had been no long lunch or farewell ceremony. On her last day, at four p.m., Gillian declared she had an urgent appointment with her obstetrician. Eliza had literally turned out the lights.