I stared at my phone, hoping for an immediate response, but of course, nothing happened. Naturally it didn’t. Josh was no doubt enjoying a late lunch of Thai green curry together with fragrant jasmine rice, with his delightful and beautiful girlfriend. He was probably even now uncorking a delicious Chablis to go with her fabulous cuisine. He might perhaps glance at his phone later, after they’d repaired to the bedroom for a spot of afternoon delight, but he might not even answer for a few days. Maybe a week would go by. He may not find the time, what with all the dissertations he was marking, the seminars he was planning, the lectures he was writing, and the energy he was expending on keeping up with his younger, physically demanding, playful girlfriend. I, meanwhile, would be driving my very old car, in my very old green dress, back to my parents, with whom I lived, as their carer. Which was sad, but not half as sad as things were about to get really quite quickly. Particularly given my family’s performance at the memorial service today. Amanda was not going to forgive us for ruining her big day in a hurry. The elaborate reeling in might well be sped up. She might want her pound of flesh sooner, and she’d make damn sure that flesh was mine.

21

An hour or so later, I arrived at Pope’s Farm. As I walked through the hall and into the sitting room, my parents were getting to their feet. They greeted me like small children who’d been terribly, terribly good and were eager for praise.

‘We washed everything up,’ my mother told me proudly. She immediately took my arm and led me through to the kitchen, which was spotless and gleaming. She’d clearly been waiting for this. ‘We didn’t think it was worth stacking the dishwasher for just the two of us, you see. And I even washed the floor.’

‘Well done, Mum. You didn’t have to do that.’

‘Oh, I don’t mind, these days. Now that you’ve removed all that terrible grime and grease, it’s a pleasure to keep it clean.’

‘Good.’ I raised a smile.

‘Exhausting day?’ asked Dad sympathetically, as we went back to the sitting room. Unlike my mother, he was less likely to ambush one on arrival. He bustled to get me a drink from the table in the corner.