“I’m still trying to find my diary.” She put her hand over the mouthpiece again and glared at Stephen. “You nearly blew it then,” she whispered angrily at him. “When are you wanting to go over to Milan?”

“I’ve booked two seats on the Tuesday morning flight out of Heathrow.”

“Oh, have you? Was that before or after our little conversation just then?”

“Jackie?” Dan’s voice sounded down the telephone. “Are you still there?”

Jackie took her hand away. “Yes, sorry, I’ve found it now. How about if I put them on the Monday night train? They’d be with you then on Tuesday morning.”

“Okay. And when would they have to be back in London?”

Jackie turned the page on her diary. “The following Monday morning would be fine. They are meant to be starting back at school that day, but I’m sure they could be a little late.”

“Would you meet them at the station?”

“Yes, or if not, they could always get the tube.”

“No, I want you to meet them. If I’m going to have them for the week, I think you could take a bit of time off work just to do that.”

“All right. Of course I’ll do that. Listen, Dan, I have to go. I’ve got a meeting about to start. I’ll text you their train times.”

“You could always ring me during the day.”

“I’ll see. And everything’s all right with you and Josh?”

“Yes, all’s well. I’m just on my way back from Buckie at the minute. Hell, Jackie, you’d have laughed. I had this contretemps with a guy down in Oban—”

“I have to go, Dan,” Jackie cut in. “They’re calling me into the meeting. Tell me another time.”

“Oh, all right.” She could hear the tone of his voice dip with disappointment. “It’s been great talking to you, Jacks. You know, the other day, I was just thinking that in all the time that we’ve been married, I don’t think that—”

“Your line’s breaking up, Dan. I can’t hear you very well.” She put her finger on the button to end the call, and slowly replaced the telephone on its cradle.

Stephen had not bothered to return to his office, but had remained standing by her door until she finished the call. “Sorry about that,” he said quietly. “I didn’t know that you were still speaking to him.”

“I realized that.”

“So are we on for Milan?”

Jackie smiled at him and nodded.

Stephen gave her the thumbs-up. “That’s wonderful. You just wait. I’ll give you the time of your life.”

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