‘It’s my fault,’ I said. ‘I gave her a sweet. I’m sorry.’

‘Well, you’ve ruined it all now,’ said Abby. ‘You better put on a fucking smile and clean her up the second Ruth’s out of sight.’ She said this in a hiss through a pasted-on smile. It was one of the strangest things I’d ever seen.

Madison was almost in tears. ‘I’m sorry, Mommy.’

‘Don’t be sorry. Smile!’ Abby barked.

I pulled the child behind me, trying to hide her dress, and we all stood to attention as David opened the door.

I was surprised to see Ruth was wearing a suit, a grey jacket and skirt. It was over thirty degrees outside and she’d just come off a flight. She looked much older than David, with a pinched face and hair set in stiff curls around her head. She put on her glasses, which hung about her neck on a string, and blinked in the gloom of the house.

‘Here’s Aunt Ruth!’ said David heartily.

‘Ruth!’ Abby stepped forward, face outstretched, but Ruth drew back, rejecting the kiss.

‘I need to freshen up,’ she said, and I could hear the Southern accent that David had worked so hard to shed. ‘The way my brother drives, I saw my life flash before my eyes!’

David’s face tightened. He leaned out to bring in her cases, two huge ones tied about with cables.

‘Madison, say hello.’ Abby covered her disappointment at the dodged embrace.

Madison stepped out from behind me. ‘Hi, Aunt Ruth!’

Ruth peered at her. ‘Oh dear, you’ve spilled something on your dress, honey. And what’s that on your face? Did you get into Mommy’s make-up kit?’

Madison looked confused.

Ruth turned to the baby – she was the kind of woman who made more fuss of boys. ‘And this must be my precious nephew, the Safran heir!’ She said things like that.

Abby said, ‘Would you like to hold him?’

At that moment, Carson let out a bubble that was mostly spit and some puke.

Ruth stepped back again. ‘Maybe later.’ Her eyes flicked to me.

‘Hi,’ I said, panicking that no one would introduce me. ‘I’m Casey, the nanny.’

She nodded at me, taking in my bare legs and shoulders. ‘You should clean the children up before guests come.’

Really, she was a master at this. Two minutes in the house and she had managed to insult every single one of us.