‘That’s everything, I think.’ She glances at Georgia. ‘Oh yes, I almost forgot. If it’s census year you have to fill that in. In England it’s already been done but in Scotland we’ll do it in 2022. And it must be done properly. No Jedi Knights.’

Ben listens intently. ‘I’ve no problem with any of that, but you haven’t mentioned the cost of the rent.’

Georgia takes over. ‘The rent is twenty-five per cent.’

‘Twenty-five per cent of what?’

‘Of whatever you earn. After tax, of course. You are trusted to pay the correct amount.’

He frowns and shakes his head. ‘I don’t understand.’

Georgia continues. ‘This is number 25 Library Terrace. In the very beginning the rent was set up that way because of the house number. It covers the room, or rooms in your case, all the gas and electricity and broadband and the TV licence and insurances and that sort of thing. Food is included and there is an honesty purse and whoever is doing the shopping takes it with them. There is always money in it and you are trusted not to buy gold-leaf-covered birthday cakes or 1934 Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s done that way so we don’t end up with separate shelves in the fridge or five individual jars of identical coffee.’

Tess can see him doing mental arithmetic. ‘It means that if you earn, or are given in benefits, a hundred pounds, twenty-five pounds comes to the house. If you clean for a billionaire who pays you ten thousand pounds a week to clean their diamond-studded bathroom taps, then the house gets two thousand five hundred pounds in that week.’

‘But—’

Georgia cuts him off. ‘It has worked like this for ninety years and I don’t see any reason to change it.’

‘Is there a deposit? Something in case of breakages?’

‘No. It’s never been necessary.’

The girls are making their way up the garden path.

‘We are back,’ says Lucy, stating the obvious.

‘And?’ replies Ben.

‘Twenty-two,’ replies Joanna. ‘Two and fifteen and five.’

‘Or five and fifteen and two, if you are going down,’ adds Lucy. ‘Is there any ice cream?’

‘Well done.’ He turns to Georgia. ‘They always count the stairs when they go somewhere new. It’s a family thing.’

‘There are some in the bottom drawer of the freezer,’ says Tess, sending a mental thank you to Fiona, who had suggested it. ‘Help yourselves.’

Georgia is uncharacteristically quiet.

Stan takes over. ‘And why do you do that, Ben?’

‘It’s a bit complicated.’

‘We have all afternoon,’ he encourages, pouring a second glass of wine.