‘There are some things you may not know. Martin and Cressida tried to set Gilly up with a man—’

‘Leo. Yes, I know. What they didn’t know – nor did Mum – was that he was the man who nearly killed me and Mum in a car when I was a teenager.’ She fiddled with her hair for a second or two. Then she flung her plait over her shoulder. ‘I don’t know if Mum’s told you, but I have this weird thing – I can recognise people and remember who they are. I can also do it if only a bit of them is on show, like in a photograph.’ She sighed. ‘It’s not always a great talent to have, to be honest.’

‘Gilly did mention it. Which makes Martin’s dislike of me a bit ironic.’

‘I know! And they were dead set on Mum selling her house so she could move into a nasty little annexe and look after their daughter. Outrageous!’

William nodded. ‘Just to be clear, I have a house of my own. I have absolutely no interest in your mother’s property. I showed her my house, which is nice and in the very best area …’ He smiled. ‘She obviously liked it but I could tell she didn’t want to live there. But if she wanted, I would sell it and buy somewhere more rural we could live in together.’

‘But she didn’t want that either?’

‘Not really.’

‘But if you sold both properties you could buy a mansion!’ said Helena.

‘Martin would really love that,’ said William. ‘Us having exactly the sort of property he wanted …’ He paused. ‘And I don’t think Gilly would.’

‘No, she wouldn’t,’ said Helena. ‘And you don’t mind her having the B & B?’

‘Not if it makes her happy, no.’

For William it was obviously as simple as that.

Chapter Thirty-six

Helena arranged to meet Martin near his office after work the next day. It had taken a little persuasion to get him to see her and he was late. Helena tried not to be annoyed but he always had thought his time was more precious than hers. But she smiled and got up and kissed him when he appeared. He accepted her hug but he didn’t return it. Helena realised he probably knew why she was there and wasn’t happy about it.

‘I think I can guess what this is about,’ said Martin.

‘Oh?’

‘Mum sent you to try to convince me that it’s OK to have another man moving in with her. But it’s not OK.’

‘First, Mum didn’t send me. I don’t suppose she knows we’re meeting and, second, I’m not trying to convince you of anything.’ This was a small untruth but she allowed it. Martin wasn’t going to change his mind easily, if at all.

‘Oh?’