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‘I don’t see how Agnes can disapprove of you, anyway,’ I said. ‘Isn’t she shacked up with Aubrey? Aunt Polly says Silas Alexander is furious because, obviously, they’re living in sin as far as he’s concerned.’

‘I suppose technically, they are,’ Callie mused. ‘But honestly, you should see them together. They’re adorable. Agnes’s bark really is worse than her bite, and Aubrey’s a sweetheart. They belong together, married or not.’

Clara took a long sip of her drink. ‘Will they be attending the 1940s weekend?’ she asked eventually. ‘Only, it’s common knowledge that they don’t come into the village, isn’t it?’

‘It seems to be a bone of contention among the ghosts,’ I agreed.

‘Aunt Polly says they haven’t been out of the grounds of Harling Hall for well over a decade to the best of her knowledge.

She thinks Silas must have upset them more than usual, but who knows?

Maybe they’re just too good for us.’ I shrugged, not particularly bothered either way.

I couldn’t see or hear any ghost but Aunt Polly, so what did it matter?

‘I wish they’d make the effort,’ Callie said sadly.

‘I’m sure it can’t be good for them to be stuck at the Hall all the time.

And it would be nice for Florrie to have them with her, since to all intents and purposes, they’re her parents now.

And, you know, I’m sure Aubrey would jump at the chance if Agnes would consent to it.

He’s much more sociable than she is. It seems a shame. ’

‘Maybe you shouldn’t blame Agnes,’ Clara said, putting her glass on the table. ‘Maybe it’s Aubrey who’s staying out of the way and she’s just going along with it?’

Callie laughed then her eyes widened. ‘Oh, you’re being serious? Why on earth would you think that?’

‘Why would you think otherwise?’

I noticed the tension in Clara’s voice and frowned. What had rattled her cage suddenly?

As if she’d realised how cross she’d sounded, Clara sighed.

‘Sorry. There go my moods again. Just, it annoys me when women get the blame for things with no real proof. I know you like Aubrey, Callie, but that doesn’t mean he’s perfect.

I just don’t think we should automatically assume the worst of Agnes. ’

Callie looked a bit startled. ‘No, of course, you’re right. It’s just… Oh well, whatever the reason, I hope one day, they get past the problem and venture out of the grounds. I’m sure they’d be happier mixing with the other ghosts and seeing what’s going on in the village.’

Clara nodded. ‘I’m sure you’re right. Well, what will be will be.

’ She picked up her glass again and said, ‘I suppose we’d better be getting back to our table.

The quiz is due to start any minute. Oh!

Look who’s arrived, Callie. If you feel a death ray boring into the back of your head all evening, it’s because Rissa’s turned up. ’

Callie groaned as we all turned to the table in the corner where The Rowan Brainiacs usually sat.

That was the team consisting of the staff from Rowan Farm, and Rissa hadn’t really bothered to turn up for the quiz for some weeks.

Not since Callie and Brodie got together, in fact.

I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her in the circumstances.

My attention swung from Rissa to the man slipping into the seat next to hers. Max! What was he doing here? He was sitting between Rissa and Nick, and Nick seemed to be chatting quite amiably to him. There was no sign of Betty tonight, I noticed, though Erin, Bram and Lars had all turned up.

‘Who’s the man sitting next to her?’ Clara asked.

‘That’s her father,’ I said. ‘Max. He’s a German teacher at Chipping Royston Academy. Head of the Language Department, actually. He might be teaching your kids soon.’

She lifted her eyebrows. ‘Rissa has a dad? Thought she’d been manufactured in some soulless factory somewhere.’

‘That’s not very nice,’ I told her, shaking my head.

Clara rubbed her forehead. ‘I know, I know! I’m sorry. I’m all over the place lately. Honestly, I’m a total bitch one minute and sobbing into a cushion the next. Ignore me.’

Callie put her arm around her shoulders. ‘It’s okay,’ she soothed. ‘It’s not your fault. But it’s not Rissa’s either. She can’t help it that she still has feelings for Brodie. It must be awful for her.’

‘Oh, wow,’ Pippa said, shaking her head in disbelief, ‘you’re way too nice, Callie! She’s been bloody horrible about you. And the way she looks at you!’

‘How do you know?’ Callie asked, which was a fair question given Pippa no longer lived in Rowan Vale.

Pippa cleared her throat and sipped her drink, trying not to look in my direction.

I sighed. ‘I may have mentioned a couple of instances… Sorry.’

Callie picked up her glass. ‘Well anyway, I’m trying to be understanding in the circumstances. I’m sure Rissa will get over Brodie at some point and then, maybe, we can all be friends.’

‘I’m sure,’ I said, though I wasn’t. Not at all. ‘In the meantime, it’s good that she has her father visiting her. Maybe he can talk some sense into her. He seems the reasonable sort.’

‘You know him?’ Clara asked, surprised.

‘Oh, she knows him,’ Pippa said with a giggle.

‘Grandad’s been winding her up that she’s got a bit of a thing for him.

Apparently, he’s a very charming man.’ She stared over at Max’s table as if she’d never heard of discretion.

‘I’ve been wondering what he looked like.

Quite nice for a man of his age. Maybe you should give it some thought, Mum. ’

‘Give it some thought? Oh, don’t you start, too,’ I said. ‘Bad enough with your grandad’s jokes. One handsome man arrives in the village and suddenly, I’m madly in love.’

Three heads turned in my direction and three pairs of eyes looked at me knowingly.

‘One handsome man, eh?’ Pippa asked and I tried to laugh.

‘Well, looked at dispassionately, I would say he’s attractive, yes. And he seems very polite and well-mannered.’

‘Well, you don’t want that!’ Clara groaned. ‘No red-blooded woman wants polite and well-mannered!’

‘I thought your libido had vanished without trace?’ Callie reminded her.

‘I’m living vicariously,’ Clara told her. ‘If I can’t get my kicks any longer, I’d like to think other women can. Especially someone like Shona, who’s been through this hormonal tornado and come out the other side. It would be encouraging to know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.’

‘Don’t look to me for confirmation,’ I said. ‘I’ve got no interest in relationships.’

‘Who said anything about relationships?’ she said, looking aghast at the idea. ‘I’m talking about?—’

‘Okay, okay,’ I said hastily. ‘Can I remind you my daughter’s sitting right here?’

Pippa rolled her eyes. ‘Yes, and I’m a delicate little flower who must never know that my mother is an actual flesh-and-blood woman with wants and needs of her own.’

‘I don’t have wants and needs!’ I protested, blushing furiously. ‘I’d rather have a flapjack than a man.’

Callie laughed. ‘Okay, I think we’ve traumatised poor Shona enough. The quiz is about to start. Isaac’s waving at me to take a seat.’

‘He’d better not tell you any of the answers,’ I said, glad of a change of subject.

‘He shouts every one of them at me,’ she replied airily, ‘but don’t worry. I never pass them on.’

‘Which is why we usually come last in this bloody quiz,’ Clara grumbled.

They got to their feet, glasses in hand, and we all wished each other luck.

‘You do realise we’ve probably got no chance against the Rowan Brainiacs’ team,’ Pippa said. ‘What with two blokes with Masters degrees, and Rissa’s dad being Head of Languages at an academy, they must be well ahead of the rest of us.’

‘We’re counting on you,’ I told her with a smile. ‘You’re the only one on our team with a degree.’

Pippa groaned. ‘Blimey, if that’s the case, we really are sunk!’

‘Don’t worry,’ Veronica said as we all shuffled closer, now Callie and Clara had gone.

‘The questions in these quizzes aren’t aimed at university graduates.

It’s very much basic general knowledge. You’ll probably get more questions about films and sport and celebrity couples than history, geography or science. ’

‘Celebrity couples?’ Pippa brightened considerably. ‘In that case, prepare for victory!’