‘Porridge?’ said Isobel. ‘Or toast and mar-mal-adeee?’

He smiled at the deliberate mispronunciation. ‘Toast, please.’

She opened the bread bin and took out the wholemeal loaf, made the day before with Dr Allinson’s best flour.

‘I suppose I may get used to this . . .’ he paused, not wanting to offend, ‘ . . . this wholesome bread.’

‘Since you live here now, you’ve got no choice,’ she replied, setting about the loaf with the bread knife. ‘You’ll not get that white stuff in this house, so if you’re wanting it you’ll need to be buying it yourself and eating it on the street corner.’ She put the slices between the mesh of the wire toaster and set it down on the hotplate.

‘I wonder what time they’ll rouse themselves,’ he said.

‘About now, actually,’ said Ann from the doorway, taking in the scene, the comfortable space between her friend and this man who had been chief ladder-steadier for the last couple of months.

Rab jumped up from the chair and Ann could have sworn that he blushed.

‘I’ll just get my shoes,’ he said and disappeared up the scullery stairs, stopping halfway up as he realised he had just revealed everything that needed to be known about the sleeping arrangements over the last few days.

Ann raised an eyebrow and smiled at Isobel.

Isobel ignored her. ‘Do you want some toast as well? There’s another loaf; I made two.’

‘Toast and mar-mal-adeee,’ said Keith as he entered the kitchen. ‘The second-best breakfast after porridge. Yes, please!’

‘Was the youth hostel good, then?’ Isobel didn’t understand why anyone would want to stay in such a place. ‘Worth going all that way in this October weather to stay in a draughty hut in the country, far away from your creature comforts and your own bed?’

‘It was.’ Ann sat down at the table. ‘Youth hostels are the future of holidays. So much more fun than guest houses, even though there are chores to do.’

‘We met some interesting young people, but I think we were the oldest folk there,’ added Keith. ‘It was marvellous to be away from the city for a little while, in spite of the draughty dormitories.’

Rab returned, and the four of them sat around the table, eating the toast, spread with a little butter and a scraping of marmalade to make the jar last.

Ann listened as the room filled with stories and ideas, and thought that perhaps she was creating a family of a different kind.

*

After the men had left, putting their plates in the scullery sink and donning coats and caps to go to the next street to give an estimate for the painting of an entrance hall and staircase, Ann and Isobel stayed at the table and refilled the teapot halfway, eking a fifth and a sixth cup from the tea leaves.

‘So, am I right in thinking you might be a little bit smitten with our Robert?’