‘Really?’ Frank said knowingly. ‘And was this mate female, by any chance?’

‘Yeah, but that shouldn’t make any difference.’ Evan pulled a face. ‘Mum wouldn’t have made a holy show of you for talking to another bird, would she?’

‘No, because she knew she could trust me,’ Frank said piously. ‘So what happened?’

‘Her and the lass had a fight, and she told me not to bother going home.’

‘Did you try talking to her?’

‘Yeah, course I did, but she wasn’t having any of it. And she threatened to have me arrested if I tried to get back in the house. So can I stay, or what?’

Frank shook his head in despair. Then, tutting, he said, ‘Fine, you can stay tonight. But, first thing tomorrow, you go home and sort this out.’

‘Sure thing, Cap’n.’ Evan saluted. Then, jumping to his feet, he said, ‘Let’s go and sort these animals out, then. Coming, Irena?’

‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘I offer to help Frankie, but if you are go with him, I will stay here and finish cook.’

‘A stunner and a domestic goddess.’ Evan looked at her with fresh appreciation.

‘Get moving,’ Frank said, pushing him out into the hall.

Between them, Frank and Evan made short work of feeding Yvonne’s pets. The stench inside the cottage helped, because neither wanted to be in there for any longer than absolutely necessary. As shocked by the state of it as Frank had been, Evan almost threw up when he saw one of the cats munching on the pool of congealed blood.

‘It’s like being on the set of Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ he complained, dragging the collar of his T-shirt up over his mouth and nose. ‘How the hell has she let it get this bad?’

‘She’s seventy-six,’ said Frank, as if that were explanation enough.

‘Well, you’re not that far off, and you still keep the house clean,’ said Evan.

Frank gave him a withering look and herded him out through the door, leaving the cats to fight over the food he’d shared out.

‘We’ll go back tomorrow and do some cleaning,’ he said as Evan drove back up the lane. ‘Fix the door, and make things a bit nicer for when she gets home.’

‘She needs putting in a home, if you ask me,’ Evan replied bluntly. ‘I’m not being funny, Dad, I know she was Mum’s friend, but come on . . . who lives like that?’

‘Old people who care more about others than they care about themselves,’ said Frank, feeling guilty again for the way he’d snubbed Yvonne.