Remembering what the hypnotherapist had told her after her divorce, Gilly did some measured breathing, making sure the outward breath lasted longer than the inward. ‘So you’re suggesting that I do the work and you get the money?’

‘Mum! Don’t go all mercenary on me! If you sold your house you wouldn’t need the money.’

‘I think I would, darling, because all the money would go into buying your house.’ This wasn’t quite true. If Leo’s valuation was correct, there’d be quite a bit left but she wasn’t inclined, just at this moment, to share this with her son.

He hesitated. ‘I’m sure not all of it. It must be a very valuable property.’

‘It was your childhood home, Martin,’ Gilly said. ‘It’s not just “real estate”.’

‘I know,’ he said soothingly, ‘but everything has its time, Mum, and we don’t need a childhood home any more. We need homes for now, when we’re grown up. And Helena needs somewhere for her loom.’

‘I’m not saying I won’t think about selling, darling, but I won’t be running a B & B in your house.’ Gilly was very particular about how she treated her guests and presented the rooms and she wasn’t going to risk Cressida telling her how to do it differently. And she would.

‘Fair enough!’ said Martin, not quite getting it. ‘It wouldn’t be a deal-breaker. You could still come to live with us!’ he said generously.

‘Or I could buy a little cottage somewhere, then you wouldn’t need a house with a granny annexe. Which would be much cheaper.’

‘Oh, but we need you on site – for Ismene. You know you’d love that!’

‘I’ve said I’ll think about it,’ said Gilly. ‘And that will have to do for now.’

But she was so enraged by his suggested plan that she had to have a cup of tea and one of the shortbread biscuits she continually made for other people, but never ate herself.

She was certain she was right not to tell Helena she’d had Fairacres valued – she might let slip about Martin’s call and then Helena might ring her brother and rant at him. They’d always got on well as children but since he’d married Cressida and Helena had stopped being the baby sister, relations were sometimes strained. Far better that Gilly should think things through on her own and make her own decision.