‘It’s kind of you to do this when you said you hadn’t got time,’ said Helena.

‘It was, but now I’m stiff and cold and want to stop,’ Jago replied. ‘Shall we call it a day?’

‘I feel I should press on but if you’re fed up you could go and make us some tea?’

‘OK. I have a few phone calls to catch up on. If you don’t mind carrying on on your own?’

‘Of course not. Hand me up the radio so I can choose my channel and I’ll be fine.’

Helena found something on Radio 4 to listen to – she needed talking not music if she was going to be doing something fairly mindless on her own – and carried on. Eventually she’d done everything she could without moving the scaffolding and climbed down. She was ready to call it a day now too and, having sorted out her equipment, went to find Jago.

‘Oh? Are you knocking off?’ he said. ‘I was just coming in with tea and snacks.’

‘I’ve done all I could reach. It’s just your corner now.’ She pulled out a chair and plonked herself down at the table. ‘How soon can I move my loom in?’

‘If you don’t mind being in a bit of a building site, whenever. The wall will have to be plastered. You’ll see that I took what you said about it looking like a prison to heart.’ He paused. ‘And the plaster will have to dry, before I can think about decorating. But that will take ages. If you don’t mind a bit of work going on around you, we can put it in next week.’

‘I don’t mind and its partly my fault.’ Helena took a piece of cheese on toast. ‘This is lovely!’

‘You deserve something nice. You’ve been working hard.’

‘Purely for my own ends,’ said Helena. She smiled, and then was embarrassed in case he read more than just heartfelt gratitude into the smile. ‘It’s going to be a wonderful space for a loom. Those huge doors looking out into the courtyard will make it magical in summer.’

She sighed happily. One of the joys of getting to know Jago so well while they pointed his wall together was that he now knew how to make her perfect cup of tea. ‘Although of course when you have a buyer for it I’ll have to find yet another home for my loom.’

He smiled. ‘I’m sure I can help you sort something out.’

‘Property developer that you are – you’ve always got some barn or other to do up.’ She patted his hand to make sure he knew she wasn’t having a go at him. He was a property developer but definitely one of the good guys.