Not just off, ignored while she was in Chico’s bedroom.
‘She asked me to be there for you.’
‘Annie did? Why?’
‘I think your grandmother’s taken a turn for the worse.’
‘Oh, Danny.’ Everything seemed to crumple inside her. Only one thing mattered now, and that was getting back to Scotland as fast as she could.
‘There’s something else, Lizzie.’
‘Something else? What else could there be? Just tell me.’ She had started shaking, Lizzie realised.
‘The bank has repossessed the Rottingdean estate.’
‘What?’ Lizzie reached for the edge of the bar to steady herself. ‘Why didn’t Annie ring me before tonight? My grandmother must have known, and she would have told Annie.’
‘Because your grandmother wouldn’t let her tell you. Lizzie, come back here—’
Lizzie was already heading away from the party. She had to leave Brazil for Scotland right away.
‘Lizzie!’
Danny caught up with her in the stable yard. ‘Don’t do anything drastic. I wish I hadn’t told you now.’
‘You couldn’t keep this from me. I have to do something. I can’t stay here half a world away, leaving Annie to cope with everything.’
‘Of course you can’t—but just remember we have to graduate, and none of us can afford to miss too much term time.’
Danny was right. Not being awarded her diploma would be a disaster for Rottingdean, and the equine business Lizzie was determined to revive.
There was no Rottingdean.
She would not accept that.
‘You won’t leave now, will you, Lizzie? Word on the street is you’re going to pass out top.’
‘That’s just not important now,’ Lizzie called back.
‘Then it should be.’ Running after her, Danny stopped dead, blocking Lizzie’s way. ‘Your grandmother wouldn’t expect you to bail from the course. What help will you be to her then? And you are supposed to be captaining this year’s student team against the students from a neighbouring fazenda. What about us—your teammates?’