‘Yes, we go back a long way. Diane was friends with my ex-wife, Ruth,’ said Keith. He was polite but the warmth had gone from his voice. He turned, and saw Tara hovering in the doorway. A smile broke over his face and it disarmed her: Tara smiled back automatically, then quickly adjusted her expression into something more neutral.

‘Tara! Perfect timing, as always. Keith, this is Tara Hunter, our counselling superstar. Oh.’ Rob noticed the smiles and his brow creased. ‘Do you two …?’

Keith hadn’t opened his mouth, but Tara heard herself saying, ‘He’s my dad.’

Before Keith could say anything. Before Diane could say anything. Before she’d even checked with her brain as to whether she should say something.

Oh, very cool, Tara, she thought, annoyed with herself. Very cool indeed. Now you’ve managed to make a drama out of it.

Toby would definitely have handled this better.

There was a ripple of surprise through the group.

‘So, is this why you’re here?’ Rob flipped his finger between Tara and Keith. ‘Tara, you kept this very quiet!’

‘Not entirely why. I wanted to help. I’m glad I can help.’ Keith raised his hands. ‘I’ve got some great memories of living round here. Longhampton gave me my start in my career, and I’m glad to be able to give something back. But it is thanks to Tara, really, that I’ve got this opportunity to get involved.’ He inclined his head towards her in acknowledgement. ‘She spoke so movingly about the tremendous, generous way the community leaped into action to help those in need, I felt the least I could do was to support that effort with some practical assistance.’

Tara frowned at him. Don’t make this sound as if we chat regularly about my volunteer work.

‘Oh, Tara’s been incredible,’ said Rob. ‘Not just in the thick of the floods, but ever since. She keeps us all going.’

‘Hear, hear,’ muttered Catherine and Diane.

‘Couldn’t have done it without her,’ Alice piped up.

‘Oh. God, no. Everyone’s gone above and beyond,’ Tara insisted. ‘It’s just been a case of all hands to the deck.’

She could feel her face heating up. Where were these awful clichés coming from? Why did she feel about fourteen again?

‘Anyway! Time is of the essence!’ Keith clapped his hands together. ‘Shall we get going while the light is still with us?’

He’d done his homework, Tara had to give him that. As Alice explained the damage caused by the falling tree, now removed and reduced to innocuous chunks behind the hall, and the effect of the creeping damp of the river water on the foundations, Keith asked question after question, listening intently to the answers while his assistant, Conrad, zapped the walls with a laser measure, made voice notes into his phone and scribbled in a leather notebook.