We’re on our way to the castle’s main entrance hall after lunch, where Carolyn has instructed all treasure-hunt participants to gather, when Alice’s uncle approaches, calling out her name as he wafts a large, overstuffed envelope in the air.
‘The old photos, as promised.’ Ned is wheezing slightly when he reaches us. He presses the envelope into Alice’s hand. ‘Take as many as you’d like. Carolyn and Archie too, and that boy, the one who’s the gardener now, he’s in them too.’
‘Thank you, Uncle Ned.’ Alice kisses her uncle on the cheek. ‘I can’t wait to look through them.’
‘Perhaps after the treasure hunt?’ Ned angles his walking stick in the direction of Carolyn, who’s standing at the top of the stone steps, ready to start proceedings.
‘Why don’t I take them up to our room?’ I can’t pretend my offer is totally magnanimous; my sandals have started to pinch my toes, which isn’t ideal, especially when you’re expected to dash around a massive castle. I can take the photos up to the room and change my footwear – two birds, one stone.
Everybody has already gathered at the bottom of the stone steps by the time I return in a more comfortable pair of shoes, but I manage to find Alice in the large gathering.
‘As much as I loved taking part in Grandpa’s treasure hunts when I was growing up,’ Carolyn is saying as I squeeze myself in next to Alice, ‘I obviously won’t be taking part today as I’ve devised the clues.’
‘It shouldn’t be too difficult to complete then,’ I hear Francelia mumble behind me. ‘She never was very bright.’ Luckily, Carolyn is too far away to overhear, but Alice does. I see her stiffen, but she doesn’t say anything, which is unlike my feisty best friend.
‘That wasn’t very kind, Aunt Francelia,’ I hear Archie say. ‘Or true.’
‘We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one.’ Francelia, with her chin jutting in the air, strides away, flashing Alice a look of immense distaste as she passes, her fingers toying with the necklace around her neck.
‘Thank you for that.’ Alice threads her arm through Archie’s and brings him in closer, spoiling our cosy little twosome. ‘I always seem to clam up when Francelia’s around.’
‘There’s a reason we called her The Goblin when we were kids,’ he says with a shrug before he looks back up at Carolyn, who’s loving being centre stage.
‘The clues lead to points both inside the castle and its grounds,’ she’s telling the assembled crowd. ‘And they could be in any of the rooms, apart from the kitchen and the bedrooms – so don’t worry, nobody will be rifling through your knicker drawer. Uncle Ned has made all the other rooms available, so search far and wide!’ Carolyn throws her arms out to demonstrate. ‘As there are so many of you taking part in today’s hunt – which is lovely to see, by the way – I thought it would be fun to do it in pairs.’
My shoulders drop. I wonder if it’s too late to back out? Leaning in close to Alice, I whisper, ‘You’re not going to try to pair me up with Archie, are you?’
‘Why would I do that?’ Alice whispers back. ‘You’ve finally found someone you’re interested in.’ I have? Oh, Twiggy! ‘I’m not going to jeopardise that. Nope.’ Alice shakes her head. ‘I’m keeping my nose out from now on. As long as you stick to the deal and give him a decent chance this week, I’ll back off.’
Interesting. So, Alice will cease the matchmaking as long as she thinks I’m involved with Twiggy? There will be no more matchmaking. No more meet and greets. No more listening to boring stories from boring guests. I’m free!
‘You each took a numbered ticket when you passed,’ Carolyn says. ‘So I’m now going to pair you up at random.’ She grabs a bowl filled with folded-up cloakroom tickets while everybody around me holds out a ticket of their own. But I don’t have a ticket. I’ve missed their distribution during my trip up to my room with the photos. Does this mean I won’t have a partner? I’m not entirely disappointed by the prospect, I must admit. Who knows who I’d end up lumbered with – knowing my luck it’d be Archie anyway, without Alice’s meddling.
‘If you hear your number called,’ Carolyn instructs, ‘please come up to the front until you’ve been paired up, then take one clue envelope between you – no peeking until I start the hunt – and wait by the rose garden.’ She indicates the plot behind us, where Tom is busy pruning. He doesn’t appear to be taking part in the treasure hunt, but then I suppose he’d be in danger of enjoying himself and, judging by the way he’s attacking the roses, happiness isn’t an option.
Carolyn starts to pick out tickets at random, calling out the numbers. Alice heads to the front when her number is called, and I see her face drop when the next number is called out and Francelia holds up her ticket.
‘Oh, fantastic,’ Francelia says as she joins her stepdaughter. ‘We’re never going to win. Remember the time you were stuck on the first clue for two hours?’
I glare at Francelia, wishing for very bad things to befall the witch, but it’s Archie who sticks up for Alice.
‘Give her a break, Aunt Francelia. She was only a kid.’
‘A kid?’ Francelia hoots. ‘She was fifteen.’ She snatches the first clue envelope from Carolyn before frogmarching Alice to one side.
‘Is it any wonder Alice hasn’t been back here for years?’ I ask Archie as the ticket-picking resumes. ‘Francelia has really got it in for her. With family like that, who needs enemies, eh?’
‘She’s got me.’ Archie points to the top of the steps, where Carolyn is calling out the next number. ‘And Carolyn, of course. Wait, did she just say twenty-six? That’s me. I’ll see you later. Good luck!’
Carolyn swirls the few remaining tickets in the bowl and plucks one out, holding it aloft as she reads, ‘Number nine!’ She’s clearly in her element as she plays games master this afternoon.
‘That’s me!’ One of the bridesmaids jumps up and down, her ticket held aloft like one of Willy Wonka’s golden tickets. She bounds to the front and threads her arm through Archie’s, reaching up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. He smiles good-humouredly before taking a clue envelope from Carolyn.
‘Oh.’ Carolyn’s jovial mood dips once all of the tickets have been picked from the bowl. ‘It seems we don’t have a partner for you, Emily.’
‘That’s fine. Honestly.’ And it isn’t as though I haven’t been in this situation before. I was always picked last at school sports, and then that was only because I had to be picked at all. Being the last one standing isn’t a new thing for me.
‘No.’ Carolyn shakes her head. ‘This won’t do. It’s a paired treasure hunt. It’s only fair you have someone to work with…’ Tapping her chin with her finger, she glances around the grounds, as though somebody will magically appear, ready and able to be my partner. And, of course, they bloody well do. I have the worst luck ever as Lothario Ezra strolls into view.
‘Ezra!’ There’s a look of pure panic on the man’s face as Carolyn pounces, grasping his hand and towing him towards the crowd of people impatiently waiting for the treasure hunt to begin. ‘You’re just the kind of gentleman we’re looking for. We’re a man down for the treasure hunt, I’m afraid, so would you do me the hugest favour and partner with poor Emily here?’
Poor Emily?
Nah, I’m not having that. I don’t want a pity partner. I don’t want any partner at all.
‘Actually, I already have a partner lined up.’ I’m already crunching my way across the gravel, eager to nip any notion of partnering with the would-be cheat in the bud. ‘Tom agreed to be my partner earlier, before we knew the pairs were going to be chosen at random.’
‘I did not.’ Tom scowls over the top of the rosebush he’s trimming.
‘Yes,’ I say, my voice a low growl. ‘You did.’
Carolyn’s brow furrows. ‘But I asked Tom if he’d like to take part and he said no. He was quite adamant.’
‘He changed his mind.’
‘Did you?’ Carolyn asks Tom, whose scowl has deepened. I shoot him my best pleading look, all wide-eyed and pouty-mouthed. My hands are clasped at my chest as though in prayer. Please don’t make me spend the afternoon with that letch, alone.
Tom sighs and chucks his secateurs towards a tool bag. ‘Fine. Whatever. It isn’t as though I’m working. I’m here simply to act as an entertainer. I suppose somebody needs to be on hand in case she gets lost in the woods again.’
I’m grateful he’s helping me out and everything, but he’s being a bit of a douchebag. Still, if it’s a choice between Tom and the toothy letch…
‘Here you go.’ Carolyn hands over our first clue and takes centre stage at the top of the steps again. ‘Okay, treasure hunters, get ready.’
‘You don’t really have to do this,’ I whisper as Tom joins me. ‘We’ll wait until everyone has gone and then you can toddle off back to your flowers. I can do this on my own. I just needed an excuse not to partner up with Mr Pervy.’
‘I feel so used,’ Tom mutters. ‘I was so looking forward to working with you.’
‘Do you have to be such a dickhead about this? Just stand there for a few minutes and then I’ll leave you alone.’
‘Nope.’ Tom plucks the envelope from my fingers. ‘If we’re doing this, we’re doing this properly. I’m reigning champion of the Durban Castle treasure hunts. I intend to keep my belt.’
Oh, for God’s sake. Is it too late to work with Ezra?
‘On the count of three, you may open your envelopes.’ Carolyn pauses dramatically before starting her mini countdown. There’s a flurry of envelope ripping as she reaches number one. I haven’t even read the clue before couples start tearing away from the garden.
‘Say goodbye to your reigning championship, mate,’ Archie calls to Tom as he and his bridesmaid partner pass us. He laughs merrily, as though he’s just messing around, but I’ve clocked the determination in his eyes.
‘Right, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is,’ I tell Tom. ‘Let’s win this thing.’