They headed up a dirt track about halfway between the coast and the cliff, and a few minutes later, the minibus came to a halt in a small parking area below the house. Once the passengers had decanted, Fred sidled up to Richard and said, ‘You were very quiet during lunch. Are you alright? You seem a bit off, if you don’t mind my saying. Man-to-man, as it were.’
The entire group was in earshot. Clarissa saw a look of exasperation appear in Richard’s face. The poor man. What an irritation it would be to have a reader turn up with nothing on his mind but to annoy and harangue.
She was about to remark, but a disturbance distracted her. Before Francois could intervene, Simon had marched off up the steep path to the house with the lads trailing behind. Francois called after them, but his voice
