‘Oh?’ I had an inkling where this was leading. Of course, I’d expected him to guess. What I hadn’t bargained on was this obvious anger.

‘Yes.’ His blue eyes held my gaze, but rather than the dazzling smile he’d given me earlier, now his fierce stare bore into me like a laser. ‘And she held her menu upside down and pretended to peruse it until I turned it around for her.’

‘Lucky she had you to look after her,’ I said softly.

‘Yes, I was there then. But I’m not here most of the time,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘I had no idea that Gran can’t see!’

‘She can see; her vision is simply impaired,’ I corrected.

‘If you can call it vision,’ he muttered. ‘Once I’d tackled her on it, she admitted that she’s had macular degeneration for a couple of years, but her optician confirmed that it’s deteriorated a lot recently. The doctor recommended some vitamin supplements the other day, but the loss of sight is irreversible.’

So that was why she’d been at the surgery when I bumped into her and Marjorie.

‘Poor Betsy,’ I said. I picked up the book that had fallen and stacked it with the others. ‘Do sit down.’

He raked a hand through his thick hair. ‘I can’t, I’m too wound up. I don’t understand why you weren’t honest with me. I don’t understand why Gran has employed you and I am not at all sure about your motives.’

His long legs started to pace the length of the tiny space and something inside me snapped; this was like watching Harvey build up to one of his rages all over again. I was not going to stand for it.

I got to my feet and stood in his path, forcing him to stop pacing.

‘I have to tell you,’ I said, chin tilted, ‘that I don’t respond well to bullying. I’ve recently ended an’ – I stopped short of admitting that it had been abusive – ‘an unhappy relationship and will never again tolerate that sort of behaviour.’

Jensen’s jaw dropped. ‘This isn’t about a relationship; this is about you taking advantage of an old lady who’s recently been widowed.’

‘I resent that remark,’ I said, folding my arms. But a small voice in my head was already beginning to worry. Had I taken advantage of her? She hadn’t even advertised for staff, that had been Godfrey and Roger. And if I hadn’t burst into tears, she probably wouldn’t have changed her mind and I wouldn’t be here now. Had I taken advantage of her kindness? I swallowed nervously, doubting my own intentions.