Page 86 of The Chalet Girl

‘Of course, let’s go.’ She and Walter hurried along the landing and down the large floating staircase. Viktor waited at the bottom, eyeing them beadily, then turned on his heel as soon as Lumi reached him.

Walter grabbed Viktor by the arm, stopping him, which made him bristle. Viktor looked at Walter’s hand until he removed it.

‘Viktor, before you make your speech, there’s something I want to tell you.’

Lumi’s eyes widened in panic. She shook her head ever so slightly.

‘I want you to know first…’

Lumi’s heart raced. Viktor paused.

‘I’m putting Snowbell, Aster and Orchid on the market.’

Viktor took a step back in surprise.

‘What?’

It made no business sense at all. He eyed Walter suspiciously. Was that why he’d come this year? To gloat that he was selling them to someone else?

‘And you can have first refusal.’

Viktor scratched his head. He couldn’t believe it. This building had been his passion project and Steinherr had made it difficult for him at every turn. He’d convinced Stognev to double-cross him at the deeds stage, causing years of drama and discord between the three richest men in town.

‘Really?’ Viktor asked, not daring to believe it. And what was the catch? Would Walter ask for an eye-watering and insulting price?

‘Market value– we’ll get Umansky to come up with a fair price.’

Lumi’s smile was full of a different kind of relief.

‘Why now?’ Viktor asked, candidly.

Walter looked to Lumi briefly, then back to her husband.

‘An iron is eaten away by rust… so the envious are consumed by their own passion.’

Lumi looked at the floor. Walter’s covert plea might just break her into a million little pieces.

Viktor narrowed his eyes in puzzlement. He didn’t know if Walter was talking about himself or Viktor, but he was happy with the news, nonetheless.

‘What can I say?’ Viktor exclaimed, finally extending a hand.

Walter took it, and the two men broke their deadlock.

‘A happy Christingle indeed!’ Viktor said, shaking Walter’s hand effusively before turning it into an amicable slap on the chest.

‘Let’s go, speech!’

Lumi and Walter walked two steps behind Viktor, knowing that with this gesture came a watershed moment. Nothing would be the same again.

When Anastasia burst into the kitchen, her legs almost buckled, she was so half cut.

Cat was filling blood-orange macarons with starbursts of basil-infused cream when she looked up in alarm at the noise.

‘Here we are again!’ Anastasia slurred, admiring the décor as if she was remembering it from a dream.

‘Calma!’ Cat snapped, levelling Anastasia with a look. Gerard and Lydia were filling glasses, and Gerard looked up, knowing what danger this might entail.

‘Mrs Diamandis!’ he fawned. ‘Can I get you an elderflower fizz? Perhaps some water?’