‘I’m probably way out of order here, but why don’t you live with me? There’s a room at the end of this house that is finished, near the bathroom, and I’d let you have it for nothing. Because you’re a mate,’ he added, possibly aware she was about to protest.

‘But if I say I’ve moved in with you, everyone will think we’re a major item and not “it’s early days yet, who knows how it will turn out”.’

‘Just tell them you want to stay close to your loom and not share a house at the top of town?’

Helena nodded. ‘That could work.’

He laughed. ‘I do love the way you’ve defined our relationship, by the way.’

‘I’ve got it!’ said Helena. ‘If I pay rent, it makes perfect sense. Then they can think what they like.’ She studied him. ‘Are you sure? You see enough of me as it is.’

‘I could never see enough of you,’ he said and then added, ‘Joking!’

Negotiating a rent that was satisfactory to both of them took a little while. Helena wanted to pay Jago what she would have paid for a room anywhere else; Jago insisted that anywhere else would be more comfortable if less convenient. Eventually they reached a compromise that they could both live with.

When they had moved Helena’s things over to her new room she said, ‘Now I’m going to cook you supper to thank you for taking me in. But it has to be chilli as it’s my signature dish. I didn’t inherit my mother’s cooking skills, I’m afraid, but my chilli is good.’

‘You don’t have to—’ Jago began.

‘Yes I do!’ said Helena quickly. ‘It’s what I’d do if I wanted to get on with my new housemates. No reason why you should miss out just because we’re friends.’

Chapter Fifteen

The moment she was on her own, Gilly stopped being furious and became devastated again. She didn’t know what to do with herself or what to do with the information Helena had given her. It was like a bomb, only there was no handy bomb-disposal unit she could call. She’d never known Helena to be wrong about anyone when she’d recognised them. But there was always a first time!

She put the kettle on for tea but then didn’t fancy any. She cleared up the soup and scones and wanted to cry for being so horrible to Helena. But she didn’t feel ready to apologise to her. Ulysses the cat, finding her unexpectedly still, jumped on her lap. She stroked him for a bit until he started kneading her with his claws and the hairs which floated up from his lavish coat made her sneeze.