“Wow yourself,” he returned to her amiably, standing to shake hands. “I’m Liam, Freddie’s brother.”

“Nice for Freddie,” she said. “Whoever he is. I’m Sophie, Lulu’s sister.”

“Nice for you,” he said. “Are you the sister who’s getting married?”

“No, I’m the one who’s still available.” She perched herself on the kitchen counter and swung her legs. “So it’s your lucky day, isn’t it?”

“Do you know,” he said slowly, “I’m beginning to think it is.”

It was the sort of thing that men were always saying to Sophie, but not, thought Lulu a little crossly, the sort that generally made her gape and goggle at Lulu like a demented hen who had just won the lottery. It was a couple of moments before she realized that Liam was looking, not at Sophie, but at her.

Before she could react to this unexpected and disturbing development, there came a wordless howl of joy from the door and the sight of unflappable Charlie hurling herself across the room to bury her face in her brother’s jacket. Liam returned her embrace with enthusiasm, only detaching himself to wink conspiratorially at Lulu and stab a triumphant index finger downwards towards the top of his sister’s head.

After a moment, Charlie drew back.

“I’m not pleased to see you,” she told him. “I haven’t missed you, and I never think of you.”

“Too late,” he said. “I have witnesses. You told Lulu I was weird.”

“I didn’t. I said you had weird friends.”

“What weird friends?”

“Ohhh …” She drew a breath and began to count on her fingers. “Anton. Stefan. Edward. Luke—hello, Luke? And what about that guy who—”

“I’ve brought you some wine,” he said. “And it’s the good stuff, so no knocking it back from plastic beakers.”

“Good,” she said. “It’ll take the edge off the pain of your presence. Why are you in London, anyway?”

“The brothers sent me. For six weeks, possibly longer—aha! Just couldn’t quite stop that smile, could you? You’re pleased, aren’t you?”

“That was a rictus of agony,” she said. “Do you want a cup of tea?”

“I have to go meet my new boss, unfortunately. I just looked in to give you traumatic shock syndrome. Take you to lunch tomorrow?”

“If you must. Why don’t you come back tonight for dinner to meet Javier? Lulu’s cooking lamb, we’re celebrating because Sophie got paid.”

“Doesn’t happen often.” Sophie hung her head dolefully. “Actress.”

“Bad luck,” he commiserated. “Afraid I can’t do that, either, Freddie, Dad’s sending me on recon. That’s food reconnaissance,” he added to Lulu and Sophie. “There’s a chef in a restaurant in Stoke Newington he wants me to check out before anyone else gets to him.” He looked at Lulu. “Come with me,” he said.

From the corner of her eye, Lulu saw Sophie’s hand snake to grab Charlie’s wrist—she avoided looking at Sophie’s expression.

“Don’t you want to take your sister?” she asked coldly.

“I’m not taking Freddie on food recon! Dad would bust a gut, I’d never hear the end of it. But you look like you’d be up to the challenge. Do come, it’ll be fun.”