If only he hadn’t seen her with Leo she could just invite him round for a meal or something. In fact, she was fairly sure, if he hadn’t seen her with Leo he would have been in touch himself. But she didn’t have the courage to email him and tell him she and Leo were not together when he may not have actually been looking at them at the show; he could have been looking at something quite different.

She wished she was braver. Gilly was sure Helena wouldn’t worry about things like that; she’d just email William and explain.

Thinking about Helena didn’t help her either. What was going on between her and Jago? He was such a lovely man, she would be so sad if there was something dreadfully wrong with him that made him ineligible in some way.

A thought occurred to her. Could he be gay? It wouldn’t be a thing that was wrong with him of course but it did make him unsuitable for Helena! It didn’t seem terribly likely, but Gilly didn’t trust her gaydar; was his sensitive caring of Helena something you could expect from a man who was heterosexual? Possibly not! Hot-water bottles were just a little bit camp, after all, however much everyone loved them.

But even if he wasn’t going to be the father of her grandchildren, Jago was still a lovely man and a very good friend to Helena. She found the thought of Helena having a gay best friend comforting.

She was still musing about Jago’s sexuality while she made yet another batch of shortbread, wondering at the same time if she had in fact got bored with making the same biscuit time after time, when the phone rang. Slightly hoping it wasn’t another booking – she could do with a few days off – she went to answer it.

‘Darling? Daphne here! How are you?’

‘I’m fine, Daphne. How lovely to hear from you, and how are you?’ Gilly wiped her hands on her apron.

‘In the pink, sweetie, absolutely in the pink. Now, I’ve got a plan.’

‘Sounds a bit worrying.’ Gilly really hoped that if the plan meant her B & B being taken over by a lot of unruly women, she would have time to prepare properly.

Daphne ignored Gilly’s wary response. ‘It’s William’s birthday soon.’

‘Oh?’

‘Yes, and you know something? He’s never had a party! Not ever, in all his life. So I thought I’d organise one.’

‘What took you so long? He must be in his fifties,’ said Gilly.

‘I just assumed his parents were in charge of that sort of thing but no. I have to do it now!’