The phone clicks and the call ends.

Tess looks at the list of items that Georgia has sent to Stan over the last six months. Thornton’s Treacle Toffee, Derwent coloured pencils, warm socks, some quite expensive binoculars, a book about the creatures of the British shoreline, and two pairs of rainbow-striped bootlaces. ‘Oh, Georgia,’ she says, ‘I think you’ve been kidding yourself. This is not what you do if you aren’t sure you’re interested. It’s how you show you care very much.’

She finishes the order and adds a message to the ‘Is this a Gift?’ box.

Dear Stan, Georgia asked me to send this. Please follow the instructions TO THE LETTER. Tess.

She closes the computer down. It has been quite a day.

Chapter 76

September 2011

There are no more phone calls.

Tess is desperate to know if the stop sign has done the trick, but has no way of finding out. She convinces herself that she will be given her marching orders as soon as Georgia gets home, and she starts to look at the adverts in letting agents’ windows to see if there are any flats she might be able to afford. Unfortunately, Baxter is an obstacle. No dogs, no pets, no animals.

Another letter arrives in a grey envelope and she opens it without taking deep breaths or having butterflies in her stomach.

Dear Ms Dutton,

Our client has instructed us to inform you that no further action will be taken in respect of the goods and property damaged by yourself.

Yours sincerely.

She puts the envelope into the paper drawer in the drawing room ready for winter fire-lighting, and carries the letter upstairs where she has started a new filing system in a box under her bed. She flips to U and files it under UNPLEASANT.

She leaves the phone in the hall plugged in, in case Georgia calls. People still ring to sell conservatories and double glazing and there are numerous calls from men (it is always men) telling her that her computer has a virus.

She buys a new iPhone at the Apple shop in Glasgow and doesn’t care that it uses most of her savings, because she hasn’t needed to ask anyone their opinion about it. She opts for a brand-new phone number but doesn’t give it to anyone. Not yet.

She sets up a new email account at [email protected] and uses it to join the library.

She doesn’t download Twitter or Instagram or Facebook. She listens to podcasts about birds and knitting, and takes photographs for her own pleasure, not for sharing with anyone else.

She looks at the weather forecast, and dances around the kitchen to the Proclaimers and Deacon Blue.