‘No way. It’s my way of thanking you for being such great company this evening,’ he said, chivalrously. And, after helping her with pushing her chair back across the bumpy cobbles, he gently took her arm and looped it through his before leading them off towards the seafront.

*

Later, after strolling along the promenade, the lights from the boats twinkling in the warm, starry night sky, her arm still looped through his because Grace had convinced herself that he was just being friendly, in a brotherly sort of way. Or was she still secretly liking the way he was with her? Being so close to him. And so had thrown caution to the wind about Jennifer ever finding out? They had enjoyed deliciously creamy salted-caramel gelato in buttery waffle cones from a little café crammed full of locals – children too, even though it was late in the evening by the time they discovered it. And Grace had thought how marvellous it was that whole families were spending time together, socialising and laughing and chatting like they actually loved and cared about each other. Unlike her own family, which always seemed to be at loggerheads. But Cora had a lot to answer for with it being that way, as she had often set out to cause division between them all as children, often pitching Sinead, Bernie, Mikey and Grace against each other instead of fostering unity.

Grace and Ellis had eventually got back to the hotel, having laughed and teased each other all the way, trying each other’s gelato and rating it on a scale of one to ten, where he had asked if she wanted to share a nightcap in the hotel’s small bar. The way he had looked at her, brushing a stray strand of hair back over her shoulder had implied the possibility of the nightcap turning into something much more, and so Grace had politely declined. Ellis hadn’t pressured her, instead giving her kiss on the cheek and wishing her goodnight.

In her bedroom, Grace flopped on the bed and called Jamie, forgetting how late it was. He answered with, ‘What time do you call this, lady?’ in a low voice, presumably so as not to disturb Cora.

‘Oh, I’m so sorry, did I wake you up?’

‘Yes you did, but don’t worry about that. Are you having a fabulous time?’ And then not waiting for an answer he continued with, ‘Don’t tell me you’re calling to check on your mother because I can tell you that she is absolutely golden. In fact, she is currently snoring away, perfectly contentedly. I can hear her from across the landing.’

‘Really?’ Grace said, imagining Jamie in the spare bedroom trying to block out Cora’s thunderous snores.

‘Yes, really.’

‘Sorry, I know how loud she can be.’