Betty Bloomfield lived at number 8, right next door to Madi, although Prue had never seen her before, not even coming in or out. She gave the impression of being one of those women who lived alone, with nobody to talk to for long periods, and who then can’t stop chattering away nineteen to the dozen the minute they are let loose among a captive audience. By the time she left, Prue knew all there was to know about Betty’s job at the library (probably another reason she talked so much, having to be so quiet all day long), her attempts at line dancing, the crime book she was currently reading, the pills she was on, and her rather erratic thoughts on the government, the church and the weather. Had she actually said anything about the garden? Prue’s head was aching too much to remember.

‘So …’ Aaron took the used cups through to the kitchen after everyone but he and his mum had gone, and left them all precariously piled up in the sink as Prue nibbled on the last of the biscuits. ‘Any joy, do you think? Are you going to make anything of the garden, with that lot involved?’

‘No idea. I just feel a bit shell-shocked, to tell you the truth. There were still three flats who were no-shows and I’m not sure, for all their turning up and having their say, that any of those who came actually volunteered for anything.’

‘Betty did say she could lay her hands on some gardening books, for ideas.’

‘Yeah, from the library. Which any one of us could go and borrow just as easily.’

‘And Miss Parker sounded like she was up for the bartering thingy. As soon as you mentioned baking an anniversary cake her eyes lit up like candles!’

‘If she’s any good. Imagine if it turned out to be some soggy old lopsided sponge with gooseberry jam or something equally hideous sandwiched in the middle! How many planks of wood is that going to get us?’

‘Well, she did invite you up for a tasting, so you’ll know soon enough.’

They returned to the living room and Aaron immediately gravitated back to his mum.

‘And that Stan was so negative about everything, I think he could be trouble,’ Prue went on. ‘I can just imagine us planting some flowers and him creeping out there after dark and pulling them all up again. And the couple, Beth and Rob, all they want is a kids’ playground they don’t have to walk down the road to.’

‘Giving up then?’ Suzy said. ‘It was worth a try, but if nobody’s interested …’

‘Is that what you think we should do? Give up?’

‘Depends how much you want to do it really,’ Aaron said, cutting in. ‘We can’t let Stan’s negative attitude rub off on the rest of us, can we, Mum?’

‘He’s always been a cantankerous old devil, stirring up trouble, that one. But I still don’t really see why you’d bother, Prue, when Aaron tells me you’ll be leaving so soon.’