That somehow, it had been done by now.
And yet, it wasn’t.
* * * * *
Jumping forward in time, at Lacybourne…
* * * * *
Rick strode into the library.
He motioned to Kyle with a quick jerk of his head.
Kyle read the gesture and without word or delay he followed him into the Great Hall.
They had words.
Rick went out the front.
Kyle went out the back.
* * * * *
The (other) plan was in motion.
Phoebe wheeled Meg into the lounge with the children.
Meg had her orders, she had a key to the door and she had the cordless phone.
The children had their DVD.
Annie joined them.
The children decided to take turns shouting to Annie about what was on the screen.
Phoebe carefully locked them in.
And just as carefully, Marian sprinkled a protection charm on the threshold.
* * * * *
Mags ran to the kitchen. She found the huge pot hidden in the butler’s pantry and with an unladylike grunt she tugged it out, brought it to the kitchen proper and hefted it onto the burner. She lit the gas underneath it to the highest heat and pulled the lid off the pot.
Then she peeled the aluminium foil off the top.
Then she removed the plastic wrap that had been underneath the foil.
It did have a very foul odour, one that needed to be hidden for a variety of reasons.
Marian bustled in sprinkling something from a glass vile onto the floor and whispering under her breath. This she had done all through the house where Colin and Sibyl’s guests would be.
Jemma and Tina bustled in and Phoebe followed them.
Mrs. Griffith (a little slow anyway) brought up the rear.
“Mrs. Griffith,” Jemma said, trying to sound stern, “you should be in the lounge.”
“If you think I’m going to miss this, you’re mad,” Mrs. Griffith returned, a highly unusual smile cracking her face.