Almost holding her breath, she got out her phone and called Sophie. No answer after ten rings and no voicemail either. Maybe just as well. Jo couldn’t begin to think how she’d explain things in a message. Soph, you’re not going to believe it, but Meredith’s trying to buy a wedding château and she’s asked us both to come and help run it!

Well, no one could say life wasn’t full of surprises.

When she stepped out into the hallway to go downstairs, Meredith was just coming out of her room as well. Jo hurried to catch her.

‘Did you get hold of your daughter?’ Meredith asked.

‘Not answering her phone, I’m afraid. I didn’t want to leave a message. I’ll try again later. I wanted to ask what you thought about Steph and David. I’m not trying to be nosy, but speaking as someone whose own marriage collapsed . . . well, I’m a bit worried about them.’

‘I’m not surprised,’ Meredith agreed. ‘In fact, I’m going to go down to the restaurant on the river tomorrow and look for that boy who works there. The other day, we heard him saying he wanted a job. If he could come and work here part-time, it’d give Steph a break. I might see if this Marcelline could come in and help more often as well. My little gift to them. How do you think they’ll take it?’

‘I think it’ll be a huge relief – for David, at least. As long as you’re diplomatic about it.’

‘Me, undiplomatic?’ protested Meredith, laughing. ‘I spend my life dealing with cautious Chinese and sensitive Saudis. I could negotiate for the UN!’

A relative peace had been restored in the kitchen. The stew was cooked, the tables laid perfectly so that even Steph couldn’t find anything wrong with them. David, looking more exhausted than Jo had seen him before, was busy filling glasses.

‘Hello girls,’ he greeted them, forcing himself to be genial, ‘what’s your pleasure?’

‘A kir, please,’ Jo said, ‘but light on the cassis.’

David took a champagne flute, filled it three-quarters full with dry white wine and added a dash of cassis, the famous blackcurrant liqueur, recreating the cocktail created by Canon Félix Kir, Catholic priest and hero of the Resistance. When the Nazis invaded Burgundy and confiscated all the red wine, Kir had mixed cassis with the rough local white and produced a drinkable alternative – a delicious apéritif and a blow for freedom, all at the same time.

Just as she took her first sip, Jo felt her phone vibrate in her dress pocket and knew it would be her daughter.

She found herself a quiet corner, far away from the noisy LeBruns and their boisterous dog. ‘Sophie!’ she almost squeaked. ‘You’re never going to guess!’