‘Can I make a suggestion? I’m not any kind of an artist or creative person but could you do something weird, huge, that wouldn’t take you long? Weaving with rags, that sort of thing?’

‘I’m not a massive fan of rag weaving but I could think along those lines, cutting up blankets and using them.’ Her imagination was sparked. ‘I’ve got some blankets that got terribly eaten by moths. I should have thrown them away but I put them in Mum’s freezer instead. I could use those!’

Jago smiled, clearly pleased to have had the original idea.

‘After all,’ Helena went on, ‘although obviously they’d have to be up to standard, I wouldn’t have to love them. As long as I had, say, three … wall hangings perhaps?’

‘With “found objects” woven into them?’

‘If I was desperate,’ said Helena. ‘I have always insisted on things being functional.’

‘Wall hangings are functional if they’re hiding an unsightly wall,’ said Jago. He paused. ‘Are you going to finish your pudding?’

‘Not if I can avoid it. I feel a bit sick. Please …’ She pushed her bowl towards him. ‘Go for it!’

She gave a massive yawn as he put down his spoon. ‘Come on, let’s get you home,’ he said. ‘You’re dead on your feet.’

‘Dead in my chair,’ she corrected him but smiled. Even if they were just friends it was lovely to be with someone who looked out for her. ‘I’ll just go and pay the bill.’

She almost fell out of the pickup when they got home. ‘Do you mind if I leave things here in the back, or do you need it first thing?’

‘Don’t you worry about it. I’ll put it under cover in case it rains, but you get to bed.’

She set aside her concerns about keeping their relationship platonic and went to him with her arms open for a hug. He hugged her back, very hard, and it was lovely. ‘You’ve done so well today, Helly,’ he said. ‘I’m so proud of you!’

She didn’t quite know how to respond to this. ‘And I’m so grateful to you, you’ve been brilliant, feeding me, looking after me, making it possible to work ridiculous hours.’ A thought of how resentful her father had been of anything her mother did that didn’t involve him floated through her mind. ‘And now I’ve got to do it all again!’

‘But you will. You’ll do something amazing. Because you’re amazing. Now go in. I’ll bring you in a mug of hot chocolate and a hot-water bottle shortly.’

‘I can’t believe you’ve got a hot-water bottle,’ she said, utterly amazed at the thought.

‘I borrowed one from your mum when I dropped her off earlier. She was quite surprised when I asked but totally understood when I explained why. She gave me a hug.’