‘It’s hardly something you can expect to keep a secret, dear. Not when half the village witnessed it. It’s leap year, you see, Madi, and there are, of course, certain age-old traditions attached. Come the 29th of Feb, in the middle of a busy Saturday night in the local pub, young Prue got it into her head to propose, with absolutely no guarantee, or even the teeniest hint, that the young man in question would say yes. Took a bit of a leap of faith, or more like a leap in the dark, if you’ll excuse the terrible puns, seeing as we’re talking leap year here, but unfortunately landed flat on her face.’

‘Ah, I see.’ Madi could feel the tension stretching out between her two companions, and thought it might be time to steer the talk in another direction. ‘It’s a shame it didn’t go well, but as Faith says, it’s not really anyone’s business but theirs, is it? Now, what was it you said about biscuits, Patty? I must admit I have a fondness for a nice custard cream.’

Patty got to her feet. ‘I’ll go and see if we have any. Won’t be a tick.’

As soon as she had disappeared behind the beaded curtain that separated them from the shop, Faith shook her head and whispered, ‘It would never have worked out anyway. I’m glad he turned her down. She can do so much better. I’m sorry it seems to have upset her so much, though she’ll get over it soon enough. Hurt pride, I think, more than anything. Do you know where it is she’s gone? I know you said you didn’t but …’

‘No. I’m sorry. Why don’t you just phone her? I’m sure if she wants to speak to you, she will.’

Faith sat back in her chair, frowning. ‘Don’t you think I’ve tried?’ she said, just as Patty arrived back, brandishing an extra-large pack of custard creams, and poured the tea.

‘Do you remember,’ Patty said, beaming at Madi and clearly unaware of what she had walked back into, ‘when we last met I told you I thought I knew you from somewhere?’

‘Aha!’ said Faith, eager to take over the conversation again. ‘There we are, Madi. Patty recognises you. You have a fan!’

‘A fan?’ Patty looked bemused. ‘I only meant that I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Madi in the big supermarket in town. Do you work there, dear? On the tills, or one of the counters?’

Faith laughed. ‘I hardly think so, Patty. Madi doesn’t spend her days slicing bacon in Tesco’s. She’s an actress. She’s done Shakespeare, you know.’

‘Oh, really? I’ve never seen any Shakespeare. But now you come to mention it, you could be right, Faith. That could well be where I’ve seen her. In something.’

Madi took a sip from her tea and watched them discussing her as if they’d forgotten she was even in the room.

‘I know!’ Patty squealed, almost sloshing her tea into her lap. ‘It was that soap opera on the telly a few years ago. Now, what was it called? The one set in a coffee shop by the sea. It was only on a few weeks and they stopped showing it. You were a bit chubbier then, weren’t you, dear? And your hair was a different colour, but I’m sure it was you.’