Sean handed round squat cups of coffee and sat on a chair to one side, scowling. He made Anna feel very uneasy, as if he was a servant, someone without equal status to the rest of them.

Theo was telling jokes about his family, making the three on the sofa laugh loudly. Ben joined in politely. And Anna and Jake talked. They talked about films and books, comparing tastes, keeping mostly off the subject of their own lives, except that Jake mentioned having moved to Birmingham at the age of ten from Staffordshire. Through the shouts of laughter from across the room she told him briefly about Kate’s death and he was sympathetic and not over-effusive. There still seemed to be a lot of things to say when Olivia stood up suddenly.

‘I think it’s time we broke this up, pity though it is,’ she declared. The boys, except Jake, all stood up immediately. Anna wondered whether this was deliberate on his part, a refusal to jump to her orders.

‘Did you bring your van, Jake?’ she asked.

‘Yeah, but I’m not in a fit state to drive it. I’ll be back for it in the morning. The walk’ll sober me up.’

Ben and Theo drifted off upstairs. Sean stood hesitating, as if waiting for a signal from Olivia. Eventually, indicating the kitchen, he said, ‘D’you want me to . . .?’

Olivia stared at him, silent for a moment. The look in her eyes turned suddenly icy. But she said in an even tone, ‘Leave the washing up for tomorrow.’

Anna, watching Sean, was startled by Jake saying suddenly, ‘Have you seen Olivia’s batiks? Look – come and see this one.’

She found he had taken her hand and was leading her down towards the batik of the village at the other end of the room. His hand felt very big and warm, the skin rough.

‘I have looked . . .’ she began to protest.

As they turned to face the picture he said suddenly in an urgent whisper, ‘Come to the shop – tomorrow?’

Finding this very strange, she said cautiously, ‘Well – I’ll come some time. I’m not sure about tomorrow.’

He leaned slightly closer to her. ‘Don’t take this the wrong way. Look – this is going to sound amazingly presumptuous of me but I’m going to say it anyway. You’ve been going through a difficult time recently – don’t get drawn in by Olivia.’

Astonished and angry, she looked up into his eyes but they were steady, concerned. ‘We should talk,’ he said.

She was jolted by his seriousness, and trusted his sincerity. ‘Yes, of course then. If you think . . .’

His face broke into a grin suddenly. ‘Plus I’d like an excuse to show you my shop.’

‘That’d be great,’ she said, more reassured.

Olivia and Krish were clearing things off the table. Jake thanked them and, with a final glance at Anna, left.

‘Call a taxi for Anna, will you darling?’ Olivia said to Krishna. As he went out to the telephone in the hall, Anna began to join in the work of clearing the table.