‘It’s the largest debt, get rid of that, then we can rethink. Pay off that remortgage which I seem to remember I told you not to get in the first place, but you went ahead anyway.’

I always felt comforted when Stuart said things like ‘we can rethink’, as if we were a team. Stuart had always had my back and been 100 per cent supportive over the years. He always made me feel less alone, even if he was a tad critical of how I dealt with things sometimes. ‘It kept me going at the shop for a few years.’

‘It was a hell of a risk borrowing that much money, and the monthly repayments are enough to give anyone sleepless nights.’ Stuart glanced down at the figures on the paper in front of him. ‘Too many dry periods and you haven’t been in profit for well over a year. Sounds like the shop is going to take its own course if the building is up for sale, but even if your landlord there gets a buyer imminently, which I doubt, it could still take months to complete.’

‘I was wondering whether to look for alternative premises when the time comes.’

‘I’d think about that very carefully. It would have to be the right place with—’

‘Lots of passing trade.’

‘Exactly and, as we both know, you pay through the nose for locations like that. For now this is my advice: one, put your house on the market; two, get rid of what stock you can in the shop; three, do not borrow any more money.’

I laughed. ‘You sound so strict, Stuart.’

He smiled. ‘Someone has to tell it like it is, and it’s what you pay me for.’

‘Right, of course. I’ll do what you say.’

‘And you have a tax bill to pay at the end of January. I hope you’ve made some provision for that. It’s not massive because profits were low but, all the same, it’s another debt,’ Stuart sighed. ‘What do you want to do, Bea? What does your gut tell you?’

‘Buy a camper van and go travelling.’

Stuart laughed. ‘Good plan, I might come with you.’ I knew it was impossible for him but sometimes I got the feeling he’d like to kick back and do something different to accounting.

‘If I can sell my house,’ I said, ‘that will solve a lot. I’ll have some equity left after I’ve paid debts, tax included.’

‘Where will you live? House prices in London are still on the up, at least they are on desirable properties.’

‘Marcia and Pete have offered me a room at theirs until I decide where I want to go and what I want to do next.’