I put the kettle on. ‘Coffee, definitely, but tell me your news – you said it was urgent.’

‘Ah yes, OK.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Actually, it’s probably what’s in one of the letters. Greg Jefferson came in to see me before Christmas, while you were away. He seemed very agitated.’ Greg was an old friend and he owned the building where I had my shop in Hampstead. ‘I did text you, then was going to call you, but I thought, why ruin your holiday?’

‘Oh. That bad, eh? So what did he want?’

‘He’s selling up.’

I sighed. ‘I had a feeling. I’d heard a rumour before I went away and hoped it was just that. One of the other shopkeepers said they’d seen an estate agent casing the place after we’d shut up shop one evening. I hoped that he might just be getting it valued.’

‘He’s putting the whole building on the market. We have three months to vacate.’

‘Three months? But why? Why now?’

‘Divorce. He’s splitting up from his wife.’

‘Ah. I’d heard rumours about that, too.’

‘He has a new lover, younger lover, so he’s consolidating all his assets and getting out to go and live in France.’

‘Wow,’ I said, ‘I was not expecting that. He didn’t say anything to me last time I saw him, at least not about the shop. I knew his marriage was going through a rocky patch.’

‘I think he feels bad, that’s why he was so agitated. He knows he’ll be letting you down. Also we’ve been good tenants. He said it might not sell in the three months he’s given us to quit so maybe there’s no hurry, but he wanted to let us know at the earliest. Maybe whoever buys it would let us stay?’

‘Maybe, but you know Greg gave me mates’ rates. He’s kept the rents low for years. If someone new buys it, they’ll put the rent up in line with all the other shops in the area.’

‘I know, that’s why there are so many empty shops round there. Not good news. Maybe something else nearby?’

‘Oh Heather, you know we’re just about breaking even as it is. I can’t afford a higher rent and I can’t borrow any more money to put into the business. I’m already remortgaged up to the hilt. We’ll never find another place with the terms he gave us.’

‘I know, not around there anyway. Prices have rocketed in the last few years; so many small businesses and independents have had to close and move on. I am sorry, Bea.’

‘Me too, but I won’t let this mean that you’re out of a job.’

‘Hey, don’t worry about me.’