Page 119 of Let’s Make a Scene

“People meaning the lowest common denominator,” Caroline sniffs.

“Given your daughter and I are both fans, it’s clear you aren’t concerned with being polite.” I lace my tone with sugar.

Beside me, Lee chokes into her water glass. Caroline actually looks briefly thrown. “I only meant… as his father says, it’s a waste of Jack’s talent,” she says stiffly. “No serious director will want to work with him now. Only people like that Logan Gallow with his shoot-em-up car explosions.”

“Not a huge number of exploding cars in Regency England,” Jack muses, and it’s the lack of frustration on his part that makes my temper leap higher. This is normal, I understand, the way they speak to him, belittling him.

“I guess you haven’t actually watched the show.” I press my lips together, trying to keep a hold of my anger. “Because Jack is doing wonderful work in it. It’s a very physical role, yes, and he handles that brilliantly, but he also brings real depth and vulnerability to the character.” Jack’s eyes are pinned on me now, the look in them hard to read. “There was a scene in the last series where he lost his sister. My eyes were swollen from crying for two days afterward.”

“Oh, yes.” Lee looks more animated. “It was awful, wasn’t it? Imagine watching that and being his actual sister.”

“I still can’t believe you watch it, Lee,” Jack says softly.

“I don’t know why you’d be so surprised… You’re the one who took me to see Twilight at the cinema.”

Jack groans. “Longest four hours of my life.”

“The first Twilight film is only two hours long,” Lee says primly.

“Didn’t seem like it.”

“Don’t be a hypocrite. As Cynthie just pointed out, dismissing popular culture is not a good look.”

“Oh.” Jack looks pained. “But Twilight, Lee. They sparkle…”

The siblings are interrupted then by the appearance of a woman in the doorway.

“Ah, Marie-Therese,” Caroline says. “Perhaps you could refresh our drinks. And whatever our guests would like,” she adds as an obvious afterthought.

“Of course,” Marie-Therese agrees.

“Hi, Marie-Therese. I’m Jack.” Jack waves from his seat. “And this is Cynthie. I’d love a sparkling water please, but I know she thinks sparkling water is the creation of mad men.”

“It absolutely is.” I’m surprised he remembers that conversation. “Just still water for me, thanks.”

“Certainly,” Marie-Therese replies. “And I wanted to let you know that lunch will be ready in thirty minutes.”

“That’s perfect, thank you,” Caroline says airily.

There’s a chiming sound, and Caroline’s head turns toward the hallway. “And check who’s at the door, will you?”

With that, Marie-Therese slips silently from the room, and Caroline tells Jack he doesn’t need to introduce himself to the help every time he’s here, and Jack says if she could keep her staff for longer than two weeks he wouldn’t have to.

Before they can get into a longer argument, a new person enters the room on a wave of crackling energy, to universal exclamations of delight. Even Caroline unbends enough to smile. It’s a man, tall and rangy with a tousled mop of dark curls.

“Nico!” Jack exclaims, leaping to his feet. “What are you doing here?”

The man in the doorway laughs. “You said you were coming up, so I thought I’d call on Ma and catch you at the same time.” He and Jack hug, exchanging slaps on the back, and Nico comes forward to greet everyone.

“Caroline.” He kisses her on the cheek. Apparently Nico is important enough to warrant her getting to her feet. “Looking lovely as always. No Gran today?”

“She had another engagement.”

“Thank God,” Max mutters before shaking Nico’s hand.

“Her bowling team are playing in the league finals today,” Lee offers, her voice a little unsteady, and Nico turns to her.

“Hello, Daisy,” he says fondly, hauling her up from her seat, pulling her into a bear hug. When he releases her, there’s a wash of pink in her cheeks that wasn’t there before.