“So,” Jackie sighed, sitting back in her chair. “I suppose that means that you’re going to take the job.”

“I don’t know,” Dan replied. “I thought we might discuss it.”

“Why did he not ask you yesterday? Why wait for you to come all the way down to London before asking you?”

“Because yesterday he had someone lined up to help him run the business. The chap telephoned him this morning to say that the company that currently employed him had changed their tune and were now insisting that he serve out his contract.”

“And that just happens to be four months,” Jackie stated slowly.

“Exactly. Patrick is now desperate. He can’t really cope by himself, not after his last relapse. It was his wife who made him call me.”

“I think you should do it,” Josh said forthrightly.

“Wait a minute,” Jackie exclaimed, holding up her hands. “Don’t let’s be too hasty here. Maybe this guy can’t cope up in Scotland, but how on earth am I going to be able to cope down here? I haven’t got the time to look after the place and the girls and you, Josh. I’m having to go back over to Paris in a couple of weeks.”

“Maybe Battersea Gran wouldn’t mind coming round to stay,” Josh suggested.

Jackie shook her head. “This is all going too fast,” she sang out in a desperate voice. “Listen, there’s no way that Battersea Gran can manage for that length of time. Damn it, she proved that over the weekend. She was out of here like a bullet.”

“That’s because you were back here,” Dan said. He looked around the kitchen. “And you have to admit that there’s not much sign of the fact that she wasn’t able to manage.”

“Well . . . what about the dogs? They can’t be left all day in the house. Battersea Gran won’t be here all the time.”

“Could you do without the car?” Dan asked.

“I don’t drive it anyway, Dan,” Jackie answered tersely.

“Well, in that case, I could take the dogs with me.”

Jackie bit at her lip as she watched him silently. “You’re going to take the job, aren’t you?”

Dan nodded slowly. “If Battersea Gran can help out, then, yes, I think I will take it. I’m not doing anything else, and the man is desperate for help.”

Jackie took in a deep breath and got to her feet. “Well, that’s that, then. End of discussion.”

“It’s only for four months, Jackie,” Dan said.

She picked up her handbag and her coat. “Yes. Of course. Only four months.” She walked towards the door. “By the way, your dog shat on the other side of the island this morning. Maybe you could finish clearing it up before you go.”