It was Nancy who came to the door, looking rather pale, but bright-eyed. I gave her a hug and murmured my sympathies. She smelled amazing, as I recalled she always did. Mum and Nance had modelled together, back in the days when they twirled elegantly in-house for couturiers, rather than stalking down some foreign catwalk – she was a voluble, excitable woman who Dad said was both verbally and emotionally incontinent, which made her a natural ally of my mother’s. Still tall and statuesque, always exotically dressed and with a penchant for silk turbans – peacock blue today – she was a very handsome woman. I followed her embroidered kaftan as she hurried through the hall with slightly too much alacrity, but then, as if remembering, her gait slowed and she bowed her head tragically. I suppressed a smile as I followed her in.

In her pale yellow sitting room, Nance resumed her spot on the heavily indented sofa cushions beside my mother. A box of chocolates sat between them, they had a drink apiece, and a box of tissues which didn’t look terribly used. I deliberately didn’t sit.

‘Okey doke, Mum, let’s go.’ I turned sympathetically to her friend. ‘Nancy’s had a very difficult day. I think she needs some supper and an early night,’ I said gently.

‘Oh no, have a little drink, Luce,’ insisted my mother. ‘Just a small one.’

‘No, I really think we should be away.’

‘Oh, do stay, Lucy,’ urged Nancy. ‘Dan will be back in a mo, he’s only gone to run the vicar home. And he was so pleased to see you today.’

I found myself sitting smartly in a yellow armchair opposite. ‘The vicar’s called already? That’s nice of him.’

‘Her,’ said Nance. She glanced guiltily at my mother. ‘Which of course is lovely, but I will rather miss our dear Reverend Hunter, who retired last year. For the funeral, I mean. He was so tall and good-looking, and with that shock of pure white hair – I honestly thought he was God.’ She put a hand to her heart and went a bit misty eyed.

‘Me too,’ agreed Mum vehemently. ‘Whereas Curate Leanne—’

‘I’m sure will do brilliantly,’ I said firmly, before they could get going on some massively uncomfortable character assassination based on gender and age and which I was already familiar with. And anyway, luckily Dan had appeared.

‘Oh, hello again,’ he beamed, breezing in smelling of fresh air and giving me, I noticed, an appreciative second glance, hopefully on account of the clean hair and spot of lippy. ‘I hoped I’d catch you before you whisked Cecily away. She’s been telling me what a trooper you’ve been since you’ve arrived.’

I glanced at my mother in surprise, aware that, thus far, I’d had mostly complaints.

‘We do appreciate it, darling. Even if we appear to grumble,’ she said sheepishly.