Fergus drew in his breath sharply. ‘That’s not on.’

Yvonne thrust her fingers into her hair, making it stand on end. ‘Genevieve did that? I can hardly believe it.’ A guilty look stole into her eyes. She hesitated. ‘I suppose she’s said one or two things to me too … Oh dear. I don’t think I’ve made Clancy feel very welcome.’

Aaron hated to hurt his mother but there was no point dissembling. ‘It would be great if you could make more of an effort,’ he agreed.

‘Leave that with us,’ Fergus said firmly. ‘If she’s important to you then she’s important to us.’

Aaron left a very quiet mother behind him, though he got a reassuring smile from his dad.

When he arrived home, he forced himself not to ring the Roundhouse. Clancy had said she’d ring him so he should respect that. He checked his answering machine. Only a message from Mrs Edge awaited, asking why he hadn’t come to get her water feature going. Guiltily, he rang back and asked if he could come now, in the last of the daylight, pleading a ‘bit of an emergency’ had taken him out of Norfolk today.

Rather than turn the truck in the lane he followed the curve of Long Lane until he could turn into the other end of Droody Road.

Just before he made that turn, he saw the figures of Lee and Daisy with Nelson crossing the clifftop towards Zig-zag Path.

And Alice.

He slammed his foot on the brake.

Then, smothering a sigh, hoping Alice wouldn’t play football with Lee’s heart this time, he drove on. Whatever did happen, he resolved not to interfere. It was between Lee and Alice.

As he drove out of the village, Clancy’s bright blue BMW was outside the Roundhouse, and his heart lifted to see it.

She hadn’t gone anywhere yet.

Clancy’s car might be outside the Roundhouse but Clancy herself was in the B&B, facing Kaz and Oli across their lounge, in the worn but private quarters of the B&B. It had a view over the rooftops and trees of the village and she supposed they reserved the sea views for the guest bedrooms.

On the sofa opposite Clancy’s chair, Kaz was fidgeting and Oli frowning.

‘I just want you to know the story of why I came to Nelson’s Bar,’ Clancy began. Though it was a story she hoped she could one day leave completely behind, she didn’t see why she had to put up with Genevieve’s snide version being received as the truth. As she told them about her fiancé getting caught with his trousers down and the following rancour with her colleagues, she watched Oli’s eyebrows shoot up and Kaz look embarrassed and shame-faced.

‘I’m very sorry to hear all this,’ Oli said tentatively, when she’d finished. ‘But is there a reason you’re telling us?’

Clancy nodded and looked at Kaz.

Kaz began to wring her hands. ‘Genevieve made it sound … quite different.’

‘I know. That’s why I wanted to set the record straight,’ Clancy said softly.