‘How are we ever going to raise that much money?’ Kaz fretted.

Then Genevieve emerged from the B&B and crossed the lawn, smiling. ‘Do you mind if I join the party? I saw you from my room and boy are days off boring when you’re not in your own home.’

‘You come and sit down,’ Kaz cried, her face transforming as if at the flick of a switch. Clancy recognised the professional face being slipped into place and ached for Kaz’s worries.

The conversation turned to unexceptional things for a few minutes, then Clancy made a move to go. ‘I’m going to make hay while the sun shines – or lawn clippings, anyway. Thank you for the lovely lunch. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.’ She didn’t want to be specific about their conversation with Genevieve listening.

Oli scuffed his feet. ‘Not sure what to do about my appointment now.’

The emotional water was getting deeper all the time and Clancy didn’t want to find herself out of her depth. ‘Why not go? The person you see might know something worthwhile.’

Oli thanked her and Clancy turned to go.

Genevieve pushed her hair back from her face. ‘Can I walk along with you, Clancy?’

‘Of course,’ Clancy replied. They made their farewells to Kaz and Oli, then turned into Droody Road, headed for Roundhouse Row.

Genevieve heaved a sigh. ‘Seen much of Aaron?’

Clancy guarded her tongue. ‘Now and then.’ She wondered if Genevieve was about to announce that she was going to try and repair the rift. If Aaron became reattached she’d have to be on her guard not to cry on his shoulder again. You couldn’t go holding the hand of someone else’s boyfriend, no matter how rocky and emotional you were feeling.

A couple of cars trundled by, one with Oli at the wheel. He parped his hooter and waved. They waved back.

Genevieve hooked her blonde hair behind her ears. ‘Aaron wasn’t that upset when I ended things, so he probably was surprised but not unhappy. Then he invited me to that pizza and beer thing at his house as if I was just a friend so that’s probably what he wants to be.’

She waited expectantly, so that Clancy felt she had to contribute. ‘It’s between you two, isn’t it?’ she said neutrally.

Genevieve gave a little laugh. ‘I thought you’d tell me to go out into the world and do something that didn’t depend upon a man. I know we’ve had trouble catching up with the feminist movement up here in the sticks.’

‘Of course I wouldn’t! It’s true I don’t think we need men to make us happy but I totally accept that a man can make us very happy indeed. Or very unhappy.’ Then because Clancy was finding the conversation tricky, she told Genevieve about Will’s message about his marriage to Renée, which made Genevieve gaze open-mouthed and breathe, ‘The bastard,’ several times, which made Clancy feel a bit better.

The next morning, Saturday, Clancy had to wait for the holidaymakers from number five and number six to drive off and then carry in her pail of cleaning things, throw open the windows and strip the beds. She’d been in Nelson’s Bar a month now and felt in the swing of things, quite enjoying a proper changeover day. It was like a mini spring clean, as if she was clearing metaphorical cobwebs away as well as real ones. This was the first time she’d had to do changeover on two properties in a day but the bookings book told her the time was not far off when she’d have to do three.