I smile as I crunch across the gravel towards Eliza and the open front door. Alice is anaemic. Her doctor wants her on iron straightaway, but Eliza didn’t get the blood results until late yesterday, through a voicemail that was left while she was on her way to meet me at the pizza restaurant. She listened to the message in horror as we waited for our wine, so I offered to pick up the prescription and bring it over as soon as I could this morning. Anaemia is something I know about first-hand but don’t like to remember.

‘Do you have time for a coffee?’ she says.

Knowing that Zac is safely in Edinburgh, I say that I’d love one, then follow her into what appears to be a beautiful mausoleum. The floors are white marble, and the stairs, which go up and down and in all directions in a fair imitation of Hogwarts, are white marble too. Is there a danger of Alice falling? There are no stair gates.

It takes more effort than usual to get my bearings in this seeming labyrinth, as we descend to the basement, where there is a kitchen that is twice the size of my flat. One wall is made entirely of glass, and opens into a huge garden that slopes gently downwards.

I rummage in my bag, then hand her the bottle of iron. ‘It’s in liquid form. She’ll absorb it best if you give her some juice and food with it. Oh – and avoid milk if you can, close to when she takes it. There are instructions on the bottle label.’

‘Do you do this for every patient?’ Eliza smooths her already-smooth dark hair. I’m struck by her dark eyes, which are huge and lovely but so unlike Alice’s.

‘Only the special ones. And their mums. But her iron is very low – the doctor wants her started on this.’

‘As soon as she finishes her nap.’ Eliza’s face is radiant. ‘Did you know her hearing test was perfect?! We’re in the lucky forty per cent. I knew we would be!’

I do know, because I looked up Alice’s result, but all I say is, ‘That’s wonderful news.’ And it is, because the majority of those with type I Waardenburg syndrome have hearing loss.

‘We had so much fun last night, Helen.’

‘I think she got more of the toppings on herself than the pizza base.’

‘Well, I was so tired. I can’t tell you how much that little break meant. Sitting and enjoying a glass of wine while someone else entertained Alice. You absolutely enchanted her. I hope she didn’t exhaust you.’

‘Not at all.’