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thinking about... ’
    Caroline’s voice trailed off. Damn. She was never fast enough to come up with anything that would fool her sharp young sister.
    ‘Early? Caro it’s the end of May! Hello! Anyway, you don’t have anything definite organised. That’s marvellous because I have the most brilliant suggestion—you are coming to France with us!’
    The expression ‘knocked me down with a feather’ sprang into Caroline’s mind. Going to France? With Annabel and Julian?
    Her sister was rattling on.
    ‘—this super villa, you should see the photos, it’s on top of a hill, sea-views, it’s got a fabulous pool—’
    Caroline interrupted her sister’s flow of words.
    ‘You’re going to a villa? You and Julian? And you want me to come?’
    It couldn’t be the money, Julian was rolling in it.
    ‘Not just us two darling, don’t be silly, there’s a whole bunch of us going, the villa belongs to their family actually, sort of a summer residence, they’re awfully rich. You might have heard Julian mention one of them, Edward, his friend, Edward Rayburn.’
    ‘Rayburn, I don’t know, maybe...’
    Caroline spoke slowly, playing for time. What on earth was going on? The two sisters hadn’t been on holiday together since Annabel was fifteen. Caroline’s suspicions were on high alert. She decided the best tactic was to stall.
    ‘Um, look Annabel, sorry, I’m afraid I’ve got to go, we’re really busy here. Why don’t we talk about it this weekend at Willowdale? I’m not sure it will fit in with my plans, I was thinking of going to see Jill in Edinburgh, and well, it is a bit out of the blue isn’t it?’
    ‘Dear, dear, lovely sister,’ Annabel’s voice was wheedling. ‘You can go and see Jill any time, there are trains to Edinburgh every hour! And it’s only for two weeks, so you could alway s have a week with Jill as well. Just imagine, two weeks in a posh villa in France! For free! You’d love it. Please say yes. Edward simply has to know today, he’ll ask someone else if you can’t come, and that would be an awful shame. You’d be missing out on the most marvellous opportunity.’
    There was definitely something fishy going on, something Annabel wasn’t telling her. An electronic voice in Caroline’s head was repeating ‘Hidden catch! Hidden catch!’ She took a deep breath and spoke firmly.
    ‘Annabel, sorry, I really must go. I can’t simply make such a big decision on the spur of the moment, you should know that. You can’t ring up out of the blue and expect me—look, I don’t even know where this villa is and who’s going apart from you and Julian, and this Edward whatever his name is. We can talk in more detail this weekend. I’m really going to have to ring off now.’
    ‘This weekend will be too late!’
    The wheedling tone had gone. Caroline heard a hard edge in her sister’s voice.
    ‘I’ve just told you , Julian has to let Edward know today!’
    ‘And I’ve just told you I can’t make a decision like this on the spur of the moment!’ Caroline’s reply was equally edgy.
    There was an ominous silence from the other end of the line.
    ‘In that case I shall simply have to tell him no.’
    Caroline sighed.
    ‘If that’s the only alternative, yes, I’m afraid you will. You said he was thinking about somebody else, anyway, so what’s the problem?’
    ‘ Right. I’ll tell him my sister doesn’t give a toss about his generous offer. I’ll tell him you’re off to see a friend who you could visit any old time. Too bad.’ There was a pause. ‘Well, we won’t be seeing you before we leave, so do enjoy your little holiday with Jill.’
    Caroline blinked.
    ‘What do you mean you won’t be seeing me? I thought you said this thing in France was for July?’
    ‘ So?’
    Annabel’s voice was flat.
    ‘But it’s the end of May! We’re seeing each other this weekend.’
    A pause.
    ‘I doubt it.’
    Caroline felt a cold shock run through her.
    ‘What do you