Ben sighed. ‘I had a feeling that Rory would turn down Cork Street, he’s such an eejit. You know he’s not really Irish at all? All those quaint little Irishisms are just put on?’

‘You mentioned it.’

‘So I’m coming to talk you out of this ridiculous plan.’

Thea laughed, feeling suddenly light-hearted. ‘Well, you can try.’

‘I’ll meet you at the house.’

‘Fine. I’ll make some lunch.’

‘Oh, don’t do that.’ The idea seemed to horrify him. Probably far too domestic. ‘We’ll go out. See you on Wednesday, then.’

His ending of the call was far brisker than hers had been, but nevertheless a smile was pulling at the corners of Thea’s mouth. She still needed to set up an art gallery and Ben was coming to see her.

She dialled Molly’s number. ‘I’m going to be very quick because I’m naked, dripping wet and the bath’s getting cold, but Rory’s turned down the London gallery. We’re still in business.’

‘Lovely,’ said Derek. ‘I’ll tell Molly; she’ll be pleased.’

‘Thank you.’ Meekly, Thea replaced the receiver and hurried back to the bath as she heard a key in the front door.

The following Wednesday, when Thea opened the door to Ben, who was scarily prompt, she didn’t know what to say. Really she should have told him immediately that he was completely wasting his time, she couldn’t or wouldn’t be talked out of her project. She settled for, ‘Do you want to come in?’

He shook his head. ‘I called in on Molly and she gave me all these.’ He shook a sheaf of papers derisively. ‘Apparently they’re potential art galleries.’

‘Oh.’ Thea put out her hand to take them.

He held them out of reach. ‘I thought we’d go round them together, so you can see for yourself how totally impossible the whole project is.’

She felt she really should ask Ben why he was helping her, when actually, it was nothing to do with him whether her gallery failed or not. But she didn’t. Because she didn’t want him to tell her she was absolutely right and turn round and go home. Her vision of him smacking his forehead with his hand as he realised his mistake made her smile.

Ben scowled down at her, wondering why she was smiling and not wanting to ask. ‘We can have lunch when we’ve got these out of the way.’

There was no denying it was fun. The first two were far too small and poky to display anything bigger than intimate watercolours, but the last space was much more encouraging – at least on paper.