‘Prue!’ Sian’s voice squealed down the line with excitement.

‘Yep, it’s me.’

‘I thought you’d disappeared off the face of the earth! Your mum’s been pestering me day and night to tell her where you are. Not that I have any idea. She’s even been badgering the lady staying at yours. Who seems very nice, by the way.’

‘Does she? I’m glad.’

‘Does she? You mean you don’t know? Prue, she has the run of your cottage. I thought she must be a friend or something.’

‘Nope. Never met her in my life.’

‘Now I am curious. I must say, I did wonder how you might know someone like her. Not that she isn’t lovely, because she is, apparently, or so Mum tells me. I thought maybe you’d met her through work, taken her picture or something. She’s not … well, not like us, is she?’

‘Isn’t she?’

‘Oh, stop it. You know what I mean. She’s kind of … poised, I suppose is the word for her. Posh, even. An actress, so I hear. And she must be at least sixty.’

‘She’s just looking after the cottage for me, Sian. It’s an arrangement that works for both of us. We don’t have to be bosom buddies.’

‘Well, according to Mum, this friend of yours – or not, as the case may be – has had breast cancer. Like, recently, I mean. Mum reckons that’s why she’s here, getting over it.’

‘Ah, that explains a lot, I suppose.’

‘Does it? If you say so. So, go on, tell me then. Where are you? And who are you with? I know you haven’t eloped with Joe because I saw him just yesterday. Looking even more grumpy than usual, I might add.’

Prue swallowed hard. ‘How is he?’

‘To be honest, I didn’t stop to ask. Stupid man. How could he treat you like that? You’re meant to be his girlfriend. Okay, so maybe he’s not ready to get married yet …’

‘If ever.’

‘Well, yes, you could be right, but he still could have been a bit kinder with his answer. Asked for time to think about it or something …’

‘He obviously didn’t need time to think about it. He doesn’t want to get married. Or not to me anyway.’

‘His loss, babe. Rest assured, I shall make it clear just what I think about him at every opportunity.’

‘And how long can you keep that up, what with him being practically family? You know, I quite liked the idea of us marrying brothers, becoming sisters-in-law. I think I got a bit carried away with the old “gang of four” thing, but that’s not a good enough reason to do it, is it?’

‘Probably not. Nice idea though. We could have had matching dresses and bouquets and had babies on the same day and everything. But what’s done is done, and I’m not going to say any more about it, except that if he doesn’t love you, he should have just said so and let you go long before now. He’s been keeping you dangling on a string for way too long. Years! Just makes me even more glad I was lucky enough to get the nice brother … who’s just come into the room and says hello, by the way. Now, tell me all. Where are you staying, and how long for?’ She giggled down the line. ‘And if it’s somewhere brill, can I come and stay too?’