Page 123 of The Chalet Girl

Chapter Seventy-Three

Emme knocked on the door of Cassie’s family’s house. It was grand but gaudy, with a lion on either side of the chalet door. Arjun’s family lived near the Steinherr mansion, on the left bank of the Glanzfluss, although their house looked a bit deflated next to the fairy-tale turrets of the mansion next door.

A maid answered.

‘Hi, erm, is Cassie home?’

‘One moment,’ the meek woman said as she closed the door and went to check.

Within seconds Cassie came to the door, intrigued by who the visitor might be.

‘Em! What’s up?’ she said, leaning on the doorframe. She was already wearing pyjamas and a robe, and had her hair wrapped in silk. ‘I’ve just finished packing. What is it, last-minute Cadbury order?’ she joked. Then she saw the desperation in Emme’s eyes under the streetlights. ‘Oh no! Is everything OK?’

‘Please Cassie, I know you’re obviously a wonderful, loyal friend, but I need to talk to you about what happened to Jenny… My boss– Lexy– I’ve had to get out.’

Cassie took a step back. A flash of hesitation flitted across her face while she tried to work out what to do. Shelooked down at herself, then nodded to the Anna Maria on the other side of the river.

‘Give me a few minutes to get changed. I’ll meet you over there…’

In the cosy bar a pianist was warming up for the Friday night clientele. No Christmas tunes here, he was playing jazz versions of rock standards. ‘I Was Made For Lovin’ You’by Kiss followed by ‘Nothing Else Matters’ by Metallica.

Emme was sitting by the fire, already nursing a G&T when Cassie arrived.

‘I didn’t know if you wanted a G&T or a cup of tea, you were in your jammies…’

‘Oh hell, I’ll join you,’ she said.

Emme beckoned the waitress and asked for the same again.

‘It’s a double,’ she said sheepishly to Cassie, who batted that little quandary away.

‘So what’s up?’ Cassie asked, rubbing the top of Emme’s shoulder. ‘You look really spooked!’

Emme took a large sip and placed her glass down carefully on its mat.

‘I need to know– did your friend Jenny get pregnant by Tristan Du Kok?’

If Cassie had her drink yet, she would have spat it out in shock.

‘WHAT?! No!’

There was no uncertainty in her tone.

‘But she and Tristan were having a fling?’

‘Jenny?!’

‘Please Cassie, I know she’s your friend and her business isn’t my business, but I need your help. Lexy. Sheslappedme.’

‘She what?!’ Cassie shook her head. ‘Jesus Christ! That woman…’

Emme put her palm to her cheek and nodded.

‘She was acting crazy, warning me off Tristan because he got Jenny pregnant and dumped her when she told him. But I’ve since realised Lexy was sleeping with him too.’

Emme shook her head in despair. This was all so grubby.

‘Lies.’ Cassie said firmly. ‘Lies to cover her arse. She really slapped you?’ she asked in outrage.