‘Yes! Molly’s mate’s broken her leg, or her hip or something, so she needs someone to go with. I told her you were probably up for it.’ Petal, bored with a subject that didn’t involve her, turned to her uncle. ‘Oh, Uncle Ben, I’m glad you’ve got some tea. It’ll take me ages to find the stuff in the attic, it’s so full of junk.’ She looked at the crowded table, the crockery-covered worktops, the Welsh dresser buried under paper. ‘This house is always so untidy.’

‘So would yours be if it were full of lodgers who can’t put a mug in the dishwasher, let alone run a tap and wash it,’ said Thea. ‘And I hope you’re going to take everything off the landing. At least the stuff in the attic is out of sight most of the time.’

Momentarily abashed, Petal said, ‘Sorry Thea, but you don’t nag us enough. If you don’t nag people, they just don’t clear up. When I move into a flat people are just not going to leave their stuff all over the place!’ Petal marched out of the room, stiff with resolution, leaving Thea limp and without it.

‘So Petal drives you mad?’ asked Ben.

‘Is it that obvious? Well, only sometimes.’ She tasted the sauce and reached for the nutmeg grater. ‘I mean, I love her really. She’s very decorative, and great fun and great to go shopping with.’

She was aware that if only she were a firmer and less indulgent landlady she wouldn’t be so walked on by her lodgers. But she was new to the trade and hadn’t learnt how to make rules and stick to them. ‘You wouldn’t be a sweetie and grate some cheese for me?’ she asked and then had to hide her giggle with a smile as she realised how inappropriate her endearment had been.

He raised an eyebrow. ‘Since you ask so nicely, how can I refuse?’ He took the cheese and the grater, and set to work.

‘I wonder what Molly wants? I can’t believe she really wants me to go to France on Wednesday. Even she …’ she paused, suddenly realising she was about to criticise his second cousin once removed or some such.

‘Couldn’t be that unreasonable?’ he suggested, not giving anything away on how he felt about Molly.

‘Not at all. I just meant that she’s usually very organised. I hope she doesn’t arrive just as everyone’s sitting down to eat.’ This was likely. Molly, with only a husband to organise, was likely to have got her evening meal cooked, served and cleared away before nine o’clock. Thea, whose supper was a feast made moveable by the punctuality or otherwise of its guests, rarely achieved this happy state.