‘Right. I’ll remember that. I haven’t needed it up to now since it’s been so warm but this cold snap—’ His mobile rang on the counter. He glanced at it. ‘Oh, sorry. I need to take this.’ He picked it up and disappeared into the sitting room telling, presumably, a student on the other end that he’d just grab their essay and have a look. However, he didn’t reappear and I heard him chatting in the next room. I drank my coffee. It occurred to me that he was far more pleasant than when I’d first met him. And he’d been so open. I wondered if he’d mellowed because he was away from the hurt of his family. Whatever he said about hate, that must have caused terrible pain. His glasses were sitting on the counter where he’d left them and, on an impulse, I put them on. Definitely very squiffy making. Definitely not clear glass. I only just got away with taking them off when he reappeared. He’d seen me replace them on the counter though, and looked surprised.

‘Oh, my son, Ned, has the same ones,’ I explained. ‘Only he’s lost them. I was just – just looking to see what make they are.’

‘Oh. Right.’ He looked unconvinced.

‘Anyway,’ I drained my mug, ‘I must be away. And thanks for the – you know. Words of wisdom. I’m off to put them into practice.’

He nodded and walked me to the door. But as I left and was driving off down the road I found, rather to my relief, that I wasn’t thinking about what I was going to say to my sister-in-law. I was wondering instead what Josh’s best friend had been like and how on earth Agathe had imagined he was a better option. He must have been quite something.

14