‘No. But she knows where I am, and perhaps, when she is ready, she will come back. And if she does, there is eleven thousand pounds waiting for her.’

‘And if she doesn’t?’

‘I don’t know. But I think she will. She was a nice young woman who had more on her plate than she could really deal with. Perhaps if I hadn’t been so strict about the two-year rule, things wouldn’t have happened this way. It’s partly my fault.’

‘How can it possibly be your fault?’

‘She wanted to stay longer. It was just after Christmas, and she asked me if she could stay for three years instead of two. I think with hindsight, she knew she was in trouble and was trying to sort it out on her own, but I said no.’

Tess shook her head. ‘I don’t think you should blame yourself.’

‘I could have been a better listener. It was just before Hazel next door was unwell the first time, and Stan and I were trying to support her and there were a lot of hospital visits and so on. I was distracted and I wasn’t really paying attention to things. Not properly, anyway.’

‘I still don’t think . . .’

Georgia rearranged the red and white banknotes so they were all facing the same way and put them back into their envelope. ‘As I said, I was hurt at the time, but I can’t walk around feeling like that for ever. And if she ever comes back, I will be pleased to see her. You don’t live with someone for almost two years and share their birthdays and Christmases, and their successes and failures, without coming to care about them, do you?’

‘I suppose not.’

‘Anyway, now you know how it all works, perhaps you won’t want me to save on your behalf. After all, you are older and probably wiser, financially speaking, than my usual collection of residents, and I’m well aware you have excellent money management skills already.’

Tess leans back in her chair and thinks for a minute before speaking. ‘Honestly, I’m very happy with the arrangement. I’m a bit worried about all the cash, though.’

‘I’ve been thinking about that ever since your man called.’

‘He is definitely not my man. Not now.’

‘Of course. Sorry.’

‘You could lock the scullery door.’

‘Definitely not. But I’m thinking that maybe you could go up the ladder again, and put Nicola’s envelope into the attic for me. You and I will both know it’s there, so if I lose my marbles or something, you can retrieve it and give it to her when she comes back. Because I think she will. One day.’

‘Deal. And perhaps something more anonymous than an old cash box for the rest of it might be a good idea too.’