‘That’s really encouraging,’ said Jensen brightly. ‘Well done, Lottie, the open day was a great success.’

‘It was a team effort but thank you, I’m so pleased!’ I said modestly. I was filled with pride; I’d never organized anything like it, hadn’t even thought I was capable, but I’d done it. It was only an open day on a small vineyard, but a few weeks ago my self-esteem had been at rock bottom and now look at me: learning and doing new things every day.

‘This calls for a celebration,’ said Marjorie.

There was a small table next to her with a bottle of brandy and two clean glasses. She picked up the bottle and poured brandy into both of them and handed one to me.

Jensen was watching me like a hawk as I took it. I felt my mouth dry up.

‘I think I’d rather make myself a cup of tea if you don’t mind,’ I said. Decaff, or herbal preferably …

‘Of course,’ Betsy said kindly. ‘Alcohol is the last thing you’ll want after a bump to the head. We should have thought.’

Jensen stared into the bowl of his glass and swirled the brandy round and round. I was grateful to him for not giving the game away, but I felt a sudden urge to tell them myself. I should probably have waited until I’d had my scan, or at least seen a midwife, but after Evie’s reaction I craved some female comfort and these two lovely ladies were becoming as dear to me as family.

‘It’s not just that …’ I took a deep breath. ‘The thing is, I’ve just found out I’m pregnant.’

Marjorie choked on her brandy and banged her chest hard. ‘Bloody hell.’

‘Pregnant?’ Betsy’s jaw dropped.

I nodded and gripped my glass, resisting the urge to gulp it down. ‘It’s come as a bit of a shock. As you know, I split up from my boyfriend – the baby’s father – before I started here and I have no idea when it’s due,’ I said, letting the words come tumbling out.

I wondered when I had conceived; that last week I’d been with Harvey probably. I wasn’t showing yet, so I couldn’t be that far along. Although my clothes had been getting tighter, especially around the chest. And all the little things that had been happening to me made sense now: going off milk and tea, the tiredness, the upset tummy.

‘If I hadn’t gone to hospital today I wouldn’t have known,’ I continued. ‘I haven’t got used to the idea yet, I’m not sure what I’m going to do and I’m very sorry to let you all down.’

‘Why on earth would you think you’ve let us down?’ said Marjorie, staring at my tummy.