As she reapplied her foundation she wondered if it would look as if she fancied him if she appeared too made-up. But no, she decided, she always made sure she was looking her best when she knew guests were due – it was only professional. This was a professional visit and she should prepare for it. Although she couldn’t help reflecting that he was a very attractive man and while she had seen many attractive men since her divorce this was the first one that made her feel just a little bit fluttery.

The thought made her happy.

‘Well, this is a lovely house,’ said Leo Simmons, having arrived back an hour later, as arranged. He was in the large hall, looking around. ‘But I imagine running a bed and breakfast is very hard work.’

Gilly smiled warmly at him. Not everyone understood that there was work involved. Many people thought it was just showing people to their perfect rooms and frying up a few freshly laid eggs. They didn’t realise the effort making those rooms perfect required.

‘It is a labour of love but I do love it, so that’s OK. I’ll show you the B & B bit first and then the rest of it. I have six bedrooms, one of them wheelchair friendly. We’ll start there.’

‘This is a very good size,’ said Leo, writing down the measurements in his book as they went into the downstairs bedroom. ‘French doors on to the garden. Large en suite.’

‘It was the morning room in the old days, when I was a little girl living here with my parents,’ said Gilly. ‘But it makes a lovely bedroom.’

‘So this was your family home?’

She nodded. ‘It was. It was a struggle to keep it when my husband left.’

‘What, bills and things?’

‘That, but mostly because he wanted half of it, which would have meant selling.’

‘So how—’ Leo stopped, obviously not wanting to pry.

‘There was quite a bit of land which I could sell. There was an orchard which was a bit heartbreaking to lose, but the other bit went as a building plot so I could pay off my husband and turn the house into a bed and breakfast.’ She smiled at the memory of those early days. ‘At first it was something I had to do to keep my family home but I soon found out I loved it. I love the people – they’re all so interesting. Not even the boring ones are completely boring; they all have something about them that’s fascinating.’

They ended up in the kitchen, which was large – some would say cluttered – and Gilly’s favourite room. ‘And here we have the heart of the home,’ said Gilly. ‘And it really is.’

Ulysses got up from where he was sleeping in front of the range and walked over to them. He sniffed at Leo’s trousers. ‘You’re a fat chap, aren’t you?’ said Leo.