Gilly set a small table and chairs in the sitting room. Leo wasn’t the sort of man who’d want to eat in the kitchen and the dining room was far too large for dinner à deux. But a little table in the window embrasure and the fire lit to add warmth and sparkle to the evening would be perfect. If she had only two guests who wanted dinner she put them there and everyone enjoyed it.

She polished the glasses and opened the wine. Leo had offered to bring wine but she had protested and bought some herself. She felt confident in her choice because she’d met William in Waitrose and he had helped her find one that had been praised in the Sunday Times.

She was very happy with her meal by the time it was ready. A small clafoutis of vegetables in individual ramekins to start – the belly of pork was a substantial dish. Then the pork with amazing crackling, mashed potato that had been through the ricer and was as smooth as silk, softened with an indecent amount of butter, and some green beans. Then for pudding she just had a simple orange salad with chips of caramel. It was all about the pork, the rest were just grace notes to the main event.

In spite of her determination to put everything Helena had told her out of her head there was a touch of anxiety in the excitement she felt at the prospect of seeing Leo.

One of the many things she liked about him was that he always arrived when he said he would, and he did tonight with a bottle of wine under his arm.

‘Hello, you,’ he said, kissing her on both cheeks.

‘Hello, Leo,’ she said. ‘Come on in. It’s so lovely to see you.’ Being with him was very reassuring. He was a solid presence and it was easier to forget all she’d heard about him when he so obviously wasn’t a jailbird. Whether or not he drove too fast was less clear.

‘I brought you this – I know I said I wouldn’t but I couldn’t resist …’

Gilly looked at the bottle and laughed. ‘It was on offer at Waitrose! I got a bottle too. Now that’s a good omen.’

‘Why would we need a good omen?’ he asked.

‘Oh, you know! It’s just something you say.’ Gilly took the bottle. ‘Come and sit by the fire. It’s a chilly evening. You know what they say: “As the days get longer the days get colder,” or some such. What would you like to drink?’

‘A glass of that sherry I brought you would be nice.’ He paused. ‘Have one too. It will help you relax. You seem a bit on edge this evening.’

‘Do I? Just worrying about the meal, I suppose. I’ll go and get the sherry.’