Instantly Flora’s own nerves fell away. She wanted to say something to indicate that she was a friend, not a foe. She wanted to say that she probably understood at least some of what Izzy was feeling.

She glanced at Jack to see if he’d picked up the tension in his daughter, but if he had there was no sign of it. He was tucking into his burger and was focused on Molly, listening as she talked a little about her day.

“Marcy is having a sleepover for her birthday, but I don’t want to go.”

Jack helped himself to more salad. “You don’t think it would be fun? You love Marcy.”

Molly picked at her burger. “I want to stay home.”

Flora felt a rush of sympathy. She remembered all too well those feelings of insecurity that had tied her to the house.

Jack frowned. “But—”

“—she doesn’t have to go if she doesn’t want to.” Izzy ate daintily. “She can have Marcy over here the day after or something. We’ll make cakes. Don’t pick the lettuce out of your burger, Moll.”

Molly poked the lettuce back inside her burger and took a martyred bite. “It tastes like grass.”

“You’ve never eaten grass.” Izzy’s eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled at her sister. Then she turned her attention back to Flora and the smile vanished as abruptly as lights in a power cut. “So, Flora, my dad says you’re a florist.” She was almost ridiculously formal, ticking off suitable conversational topics from a mental list.

Flora persevered. “Yes. I think my love of flowers came from my mother. She was a florist, too, and very talented. There was no plant or flower she couldn’t recognize.” She hesitated. “I lost my mother when I was about the same age as Molly.”

Molly reached for the ketchup. “Where did you lose her?”

“I mean—she died.”

Izzy froze for a microsecond and Molly squirted ketchup on the table.

Mistake, Flora thought in a panic. Big, big mistake.

Molly’s eyes were huge and shiny with tears. “Our mom died.”

Izzy threw her napkin over the ketchup, sent Flora a furious look and put her arm around her sister. “It’s okay, bunny. I’m here.”

Flora felt sick. What had she done? It had all been going so well and now she’d blown it. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.” Why, oh why, hadn’t she stayed silent? She didn’t even like talking about her own experiences. Instead of reassuring them, she’d left them feeling sad, threatened and anxious. And now they were bonded together against her.

Jack’s gaze was fixed on Molly, and Flora could feel his helplessness, and his fierce determination to protect his daughters.

She hadn’t made things better, she’d made them a thousand times worse.