If they continued to press her to do other things, she’d quit. Definitely. There had to be other jobs she could do.

She cried when she was in bed. Nothing was going right. Nothing!

The next day Sophie stood at the bedroom window, watching Jez move into the new house. Vans had been coming and going for several days, some bringing workmen, others bringing furniture. A big pantechnicon had disgorged one bed after another. How many people were sleeping there, for heaven’s sake?

To her surprise, her daughter-in-law turned up that morning with the children, which was very unusual. Sophie bit back her annoyance at being disturbed during her writing time. ‘Come in. How lovely to see you.’

Kerry gave one of her frozen imitations of a smile. ‘We were passing by, so I thought we’d call in. William’s been worried about you, but you look fine to me. After all, you’re not young any more, so it’s to be expected you’d get tired more easily.’

Why did her daughter-in-law’s comments always seem to be putting her down? Sophie wondered as she led the way into the kitchen. ‘Would you like something to drink? And a piece of my home-made cake, maybe?’

‘Jordan would like milk or water. I don’t believe in giving children drinks full of chemicals. The baby’s just been fed. And I’d like a cup of herbal tea, if you have any.’ She saw the cake sitting under its transparent cover on the breakfast bar and licked her lips involuntarily. ‘Um – what sort of cake is it?’

‘All organic, with dried fruit and walnuts, very little sugar or fat,’ Sophie said promptly. It wasn’t organic and it contained both butter and sugar, but Kerry wasn’t to know that.

‘Perhaps just a small piece for Jordan, then, and one for me.’

Sophie got out the plates.

‘Has he moved in next door yet?’

She wondered if this was the purpose of the visit. ‘Who?’

Kerry’s eyes narrowed. ‘You know who: Jez Winter.’

‘I don’t know whether he’s moved in or not.’

‘But you’re friendly with him. Surely he’s told you?’ She took one of her nibbling, rodent-like bites, then added, ‘William said you and Winter were together. The man can’t have dumped you so quickly, surely?’

Kerry had no idea how rude she was, Sophie told herself, biting her tongue for the millionth time. How William put up with a wife like that, she’d never understand. ‘My social life is my own business.’

‘But we’re your family. And actually, I quite like his music. I’d love to meet him.’

Sophie shuddered mentally at the mere thought of that and vowed to avoid it at all costs until she was more sure of what was going on between herself and Jez.

‘You’re not going deaf, are you? People your age sometimes start losing their hearing.’

‘You didn’t ask any questions but as it happens, I don’t feel the need to introduce my friends to my family, any more than you introduce your friends to me.’