‘Well, different things interest different people. Will you be OK up here on your own? I should go back down and have another go at the kitchen. Molly will be over in the morning and you know how tidy her house is.’

‘Mm. Our house is always pretty tidy too.’

Thea’s spirits sank a little. She had really enjoyed Toby’s company and his presence had made her forget about her money worries. It hadn’t stopped her thinking about his father, though. They were so alike to look at. If only Ben were as easy to get on with as Toby.

Although grateful that he hadn’t allowed her to cut herself off from his much needed assistance, she was still furious about him saying all that about relationships in the first place, as if he had to warn her off. It made her look like a groupie or something.

‘Yeah, well,’ she said now. ‘I’d better get downstairs or I’ll have to take a chisel to the flour and water paste.’

‘It’s good you’ve got the Harry Potter books. Veronica doesn’t read children’s books.’

‘No, well, I think it doesn’t matter whether a book is for adults or children; if it’s a good read, it’s a good read. Do you want the radio on, for company?’

‘Haven’t you got a television?’

‘Not in the bedroom, no. But I’ll put the radio on, it’ll probably be news or something, but it may send you off to sleep. It always does me.’

At last Thea got herself away from Toby who, though sleepy, seemed reluctant to be left alone. If the kitchen hadn’t looked like the television set for a chimps tea party, she would have found jobs to do upstairs, but with Molly coming in the morning she wanted to get it straight. Besides, Petal would tell her off dreadfully if she found the detritus of deep pan pizza making stuck to the table.

Toby woke in the night, just as Thea was deeply asleep. She struggled upright to check he could find the loo all right. ‘OK?’ she murmured, with only one eye open.

‘I’m a bit cold.’

‘Oh.’ She thought about hot-water bottles and extra blankets, and balked. ‘Toby, I’m really, really sleepy. Would you mind awfully just getting into my bed? It’s a double and I can easily shift over.’ She shifted, waking up a bit more as she reached the cold bit.

‘Oh, OK.’ Toby padded over and got into the space Thea had made. ‘This is lovely and warm,’ he said, and fell asleep.

Thea, convinced that in the morning she would be convicted of child abuse, decided she would worry about it when it happened and joined Toby in slumber.