‘It wouldn’t be worrying if she’d accept help from me! But she says her family has had enough from me and won’t take any more.’

Helena let her gaze take in what she now thought of as the Back-door View. ‘Isn’t there some way they could raise money from this place? It’s in such a heavenly spot. It would make the ideal holiday home – or rental. Anything really.’

He frowned. ‘Well,’ he said after a bit, ‘I suppose I could buy it from them, if they wanted to sell. I would be taking on a far greater mortgage load than I’m happy with, but if it did the trick for them I’d do it.’

‘Or maybe you pay for the renovations, etc., and pay yourself back from the lettings. Once you’re reimbursed the rental income would come to them. And they could come and stay too, when it’s done up. The cottage and the view would stay in the family.’

‘Why didn’t I think of that? It’s the perfect solution! Clever you! I’ll still have to borrow a fairly hefty amount but nothing like as massive.’

Excited, he put his arms round her and lifted her off the ground before giving her a big kiss on the cheek. ‘I’ll put it to Maureen; see what she says.’

When he came back from his trip a few hours later, he said, ‘First, the road’s back open; second, Gilly wants to hear from you ASAP; and finally, Maureen was delighted with your suggestion. I had to explain that the money for the repairs would be a loan and not a gift and she was quite happy. They’d thought they’d have to sell Fred’s house and although they knew it was for the best, they were very sad at the prospect. This way they can have their cake and eat it, so to speak.’ He grinned. ‘And as she’s accepted a quick injection of cash from me, her house will be Fred-friendly very soon.’ Now he looked more serious. ‘Then we can go home.’

Two mornings later Maureen and her husband came for Fred, which was a relief, for although Helena and Jago had developed techniques for looking after him, it had become increasingly clear he needed a properly modified home. When Helena heard a car drive up while Jago and Fred were in the bathroom, giving him a shower before his journey home, she went out to meet it.

‘So,’ said Maureen, a pleasant-looking woman in her fifties with a warm smile. ‘Are you the wonderful woman Jon has been talking about?’

Helena was thrown – partly by Maureen’s use of Jago’s old name but more by his apparent description of her. ‘I’m Helena,’ she said. ‘I can’t answer for anything else.’