“And you’re going to rob me of it? Don’t be silly. Of course I want us to be together. It’s what we planned and it’s what we’ll do. Now, how many glasses are we going to need, and someone should fill up the ice bucket because our guests will be here any minute.”

Andee and Leanne arrived promptly at seven, bringing Abby with them, and in what seemed no time at all Claudia was opening a second bottle of Moët while the guests ate canapés and lounged on the sofas as if this was somewhere they came all the time. There was an easy flow of conversation right from the start and virtually no awkward moments, apart from Claudia’s embarrassment when Andee and Leanne lavished praise on her various handicrafts.

“She makes everything,” Jasmine stated proudly, “candles, diffusers, lamps, soap, photo frames. She even did some of the paintings . . .”

“OK,” Claudia said softly, “I think that’s enough.”

Look how pathetic you are, lapping it up as if the junk you make is something special. Get a grip, you’re embarrassing yourself.

Claudia shook Marcus’s vicious words off with a shiver and forced herself to reconnect with the real conversation.

“You’ve transformed this place,” Andee was commenting admiringly. “I came to view it for Dan, a friend of Graeme’s, about a year ago and it was nothing like this then. He decided it was too big for him, but it seems just right for you.”

“It’s a great spot,” Leanne agreed, “but isn’t the noise a problem?”

With a sigh, Marcy said, “It was worse during the summer when the windows were open, so many parties and concerts on the beach . . .”

“Which were totally cool,” Jasmine put in quickly, “you even came to some of them.”

“It was a Beatles night,” Marcy explained, “so we all went. And actually, it wasn’t the music that bothered us so much as all the shouting and swearing when the bars turned out. It still happens, but at least the windows are closed now.”

“Do you get people parking in your space in front of the building?” Andee asked sympathetically.

“All the time,” Claudia groaned, “which is another reason we’ll be glad to move.”

“Are you thinking of it?” Leanne asked, helping herself to another canapé.

“You should come and live nearer us,” Abby informed Jasmine.

“Actually, we might,” Claudia told her, and aware of Abby’s and Leanne’s interest piquing, she felt a little thrill of excitement as she said to Andee, “We’d like to view the coach house as soon as possible.”

“What coach house?” Abby demanded, looking from her to Jasmine and back again.

“It’s on Westleigh Heights,” Jasmine replied, “so if we do move there we’ll be about ten minutes from you and I’m definitely going to need a car.”