sausage.
âIâm a cameraman and sound technician,â Drew replied.
Roger looked at him in surprise. âI canât imagine thereâd be much call for that sort of thing around here,â he said.
âI work all over the place,â Drew explained. âThatâs how I came to know the Applebys. A colleague of mine, Basil Hobbs, happens to be their neighbour. He recently made a documentary about Penberthy House and I worked on the production.â
âOoh, how interesting. Has it been on telly yet?â Chanelle asked.
âNo, itâs on next month. I think Basilâs going to host a screening for everyone here in the village first,â Drew said. âClemmieâs the star of the whole thing.â
Clementine looked up at the mention of her name.
Saskia glared across the table at her. â She is going to be on TV?â
âYes,â Aunt Violet said proudly. âClementine did the most wonderful job playing the rolesof the women who have lived in the house, including myself. Sheâs also going to be the host of Grandparentsâ Day at school next week.â
Clementine frowned and felt another stabbing pain in her side. âI donât know for sure yet, Aunt Violet,â she whispered.
â I should be on TV,â Saskia said. âIâm much prettier.â
âSassy,â her father chided. âClemmie Rose is lovely.â
âBut Iâm lovelier,â the child insisted.
âRight, has everyone finished?â Lady Clarissa said, taking the opportunity to change the topic. She stood up and began to clear the plates. âIâve got chocolate mousse for dessert. That should sweeten things up.â
âI wouldnât bet on it,â Aunt Violet muttered into her napkin as she dabbed at the corners of her mouth.
âIâll help you with those.â Drew stood up and took the pile of dirty dishes from Clarissa.
Chanelle frowned and looked over at Uncle Digby. âIsnât that your job?â
âHeâs not on duty,â Aunt Violet quipped, quick to leap to the manâs defence this time. âBut Iâll come and help if you like, Clarissa.â
âItâs all right. We wonât be a minute.â The woman smiled at Uncle Digby, who gave her a wink. Theyâd never seen Aunt Violet so keen to be helpful.
Clementine slipped down from her seat.
âAnd where are you off to?â Aunt Violet asked the girl.
âPlease may I be excused? I need to go to the toilet,â Clementine said quietly, her voice almost a whisper. With a nod from her great-aunt, she padded inside.
Clementine didnât really need to go to the toilet, though her tummy did feel all mixed up. She couldnât help worrying that what Saskia had said was true. If her mother and Drew did get married and have a baby, it would be their very own. What if they liked the baby better than her? Would they send her away? They couldnât do that to Will because Drew was his real dad, but Clementine didnât even know whoshe really belonged to. It had never occurred to her before but Saskia seemed to know a lot about these things. Clementine reached the kitchen door and pushed it open. She gasped as she saw Drew bending down on one knee and her mother reaching out towards him.
âMummy!â she cried, racing into the kitchen and sliding between the pair.
âWhatâs the matter, darling?â Clarissa asked. She scooped the charging girl into her arms.
Clementine hugged the woman tightly. âI donât feel well,â she murmured into her motherâs neck.
âOh, sweetheart, has something upset you?â Clarissa asked, stroking the girlâs hair. âIs it Saskia?â
Clementine nodded, not wanting to tell her mother what was really on her mind. She turned around to find Drew still on one knee, cleaning up a splodge of mayonnaise on the floor.
âThe Bakers will be on their way