She blinked away a tear. ‘Well, I really appreciate it,’ the woman at the door was saying. ‘And obviously if there’s anything I can do for you or your family, in return, I’m just over there, Briar Cottage.’

Ah, okay. It must be Emma, thought Lorna, the woman who had booked on Christmas Day. You always got a few people booking then – drunk, bored or a cheering-up exercise? she’d often wondered, fascinated. She put the mug upside down on the draining rack, then sat back down again, curious to know if Olivia was going to correct Emma on the mention of her family. No, it appeared not.

‘Thank you’ was all she said.

‘I’ll bump into you around the pool, no doubt,’ the woman said. ‘I’m Em, by the way.’

‘Olivia,’ replied Olivia. ‘Nice to meet you. And thanks for this!’

She returned, rather pink in the cheeks, bearing a bottle of red wine, and Lorna got to her feet once more, feeling as if she had overstayed her welcome. ‘I won’t keep you,’ she said. ‘Thank you for the tea. Do knock, won’t you, if you need anything? I’m always on hand if you want a chat.’ Then, worried it might sound as if she were prying, she tried to adopt a brighter note. ‘Especially if you’ve got anything else to tell me about Aidan!’

Was it Lorna’s imagination or did a strange, almost fearful look pass over Olivia’s face? The poor thing obviously still carried a torch for him, she thought, letting herself out and hurrying back home. But, let’s face it – who wouldn’t?

Chapter Seventeen

Em was starting to feel as if a curse had been put upon the holiday. If it wasn’t one thing going tits-up this week, it was another. When George had rung her in Falmouth to say that Izzie was back home and seemed okay, she had actually burst into tears in front of kind Maggie, because she just couldn’t cope with the drama any more. She’d got home, hugged Izzie and apologized, and then she’d had to apologize to George too, for tearing out of the house like a lunatic. God! If they made it to the end of this fortnight still together, it would be a miracle. She was longing for one single day when nothing catastrophic happened. One measly little day. Was it so much to ask?