‘Maybe take it in turns to choose?’ I suggested.

‘Oh, good plan,’ agreed Helena, casting me a grateful look. This, the woman who brokered multi-million-pound contracts for a living.

‘I’ll pick first,’ Tess said firmly. ‘I’m the eldest.’

‘No – why should three and a half minutes make any—’

‘Toss for it,’ I interrupted, reaching for my handbag on the floor. I found a coin and threw it in the air, caught it, and asked Maudie to choose. She chose correctly. ‘Right. Maudie goes first.’

For a moment, everyone was silenced. I had a feeling such closure was unusual in this household. Helena seized a rare advantage.

‘Come on, girls,’ she commanded. ‘We’re off. Leave Lucy in peace.’ They got to their feet, grudgingly. Helena kissed me goodbye. ‘Bye, Luce. And give my love to Mum and Dad. Good luck with that, by the way,’ she said grimly. She hesitated and seemed about to say more, but then made her way to the front door.

‘Just until you’re better, she means,’ Maudie whispered to me, when her mother was out of earshot. ‘Co-defendants often need company, Ned says.’

‘No, he said co-dependan—’

‘Girls!’ their mother shrieked, exasperated, from the hall. ‘Come on! You’ve got homework to do!’ She reappeared, brandishing the bin bag, like bait.

‘And good luck with Daniel,’ Tess told me, as Helena disappeared again. ‘We’ve heard about him.’

‘Except we’ve already looked him up on Facebook, and oh Luce – no hair!’

‘Or not much,’ agreed Tess.

‘And if he’s a friend of Helena and Ant …’ Two pairs of sparkling hazel eyes widened meaningfully at me in pert, pretty faces. ‘Well,’ they finished sadly.

But I wasn’t really listening. I was thinking about what Maudie had said – co … what?

Their mother was calling them now from the car, gesturing madly. Getting quite pink. The girls kissed my cheeks.

‘Give her our love,’ Maudie insisted urgently. ‘Imo, I mean.’

‘And tell her we dream of New York – always!’

I smiled as they ran to the door. Imo had kindly hosted a half-term treat in New York last year, meeting them at JFK, taking them shopping, out to restaurants. They’d stayed at her apartment in downtown Manhattan. They’d never quite got over it. But my mind wasn’t on that, either. I walked slowly back to the sitting room. What was it Maudie had said? Co-something or other? I reached for my phone to google it – or take a stab at it anyway – when I saw a message. By mistake, I opened it. It was from Amanda. I prepared to recoil from her insults, but this was different.

‘I am so sorry. I am such a cow. Always bothering you, please forgive me. You’re the only true friend I’ve got. Tell me I’m forgiven and I promise I won’t bother you again.’

I tapped back. ‘Of course I forgive you, Amanda.’