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sort of trouble are you in now?’ she asked the photograph before gazing out of the window into the white landscape beyond.
     

Chapter 5
    Higgins the butler, who was sporting a cherry-red waistcoat with bright silver buttons, cleared his throat and a hush descended on the room as twenty pairs of eyes fixed themselves on the door.
    ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he began, ‘Dame Pamela Harcourt.’
    As ever, Dame Pamela entered the room like an empress and was greeted by much applause. She was wearing a pale gold dress draped with a crimson shawl and her hair was swept up and pinned with an enormous diamond clip. She was famous for her diamonds and there were gasps from the audience as she walked to the front of the room, her eyelashes batting as she drank in the adoration of her guests. Nobody would have guessed that, just ten minutes before, she’d been having a nervous breakdown in the privacy of her study. “The show must go on” was a phrase that every actress knew and Dame Pamela had lived her life by it.
    She took a deep breath and began. ‘I can’t tell you what a delight it is to welcome you all here for our special Christmas conference! We’ve been discussing having one for some time now and I think it’s particularly appropriate as it’s also the month of Jane Austen’s birthday.’
    There was a cheer and Dame Pamela clutched a hand to her heart and her eyes rose towards heaven as if communing with the great author herself.
    ‘So this conference is going to be extra special as we celebrate our favourite author’s birthday. There will be the usual talks and readings and film showings, and we have some very special guests lined up for you. And, because this is Christmas, there will be plenty of food and drink but we will also have lots of dancing too so that our waistlines don’t suffer too much!’
    There was another round of applause and then Higgins got to work with the silver tray, distributing glasses of the cocktail which Dame Pamela had named the Fitzwilliam Fizzer . There was also a non-alcoholic alternative that Dame Pamela called a Pink Bingley but it wasn’t proving quite as popular as the Fitzwilliam Fizzer but it got everybody talking about cocktails.
    ‘I think a Wicked Wickham would slip down rather nicely,’ Roberta told her sister Rose who had the good grace to blush at such a suggestion.
    ‘What about a Tickling Tilney ?’ Doris Norris suggested.
    ‘Or a Wentworth Wallbanger , ’ Roberta said.
    Mrs Soames, who was in earshot, tutted loudly and sipped at her Pink Bingley without joining in with the chatter.
    After circulating amongst her guests, Dame Pamela walked over to the window and looked out over the snow-covered garden to the fields beyond. She was thankful that her guests had had problem-free journeys and that everybody had arrived safely but there were two guests who hadn’t arrived yet – the actress, Gemma Reilly, and the uninvited brother, Benedict Harcourt.
    ‘Madam,’ Higgins said, appearing by her side, ‘I’ve just had a call from Master Benedict.’
    ‘ Please tell me he’s been snowed in and can’t possibly make it,’ Dame Pamela said, knowing it was deeply uncharitable but quite unable to stop herself.
    ‘I’m afraid not,’ Higgins said. ‘He just wanted to let you know that he’ll be here in time for dinner.’
    Dame Pamela sighed. ‘He always did have an uncanny ability to arrive at precisely the wrong moment.’
     
    But Benedict Harcourt didn’t arrive in time for dinner and the guests enjoyed a carefree and very splendid meal by candlelight before the first evening’s activities got under way. There was a showing of Miss Austen Regrets in the drawing room whilst Regency parlour games were on offer in the library.
    Kay and Adam had chosen the parlour games but Adam had missed his cue at a game of cards twice now and Kay looked concerned as he checked his phone again.
    ‘What is it?’ she asked.
    ‘It’s Gemma – she’s stuck somewhere