And, if my sister has anything to do with it, then I’m sure he will too.

‘Come in and say hello to Rich while you’re here,’ Chelsea urges. ‘He’d love to see you.’

‘He’s at home? Now?’ My brother-in-law is one of those who go out to work at six o’clock in the morning and is never home before nine o’clock every night.

Chelsea nods towards the kitchen. I go in and, sure enough, Rich is sitting at the farmhouse-style table, a glass of whisky in his hand.

‘Bit early for that?’ I joke. But no one laughs.

As I hug my brother-in-law, I notice that the atmosphere between my sister and her husband is a bit strained. Again, I ask, ‘Everything okay?’

‘Yes, yes.’ Richard also waves away my question. ‘Never better.’

He and Chelsea exchange a wary glance and I’m no psychic but I can tell that all is not well in the King household.

‘How are things with Lauren?’ my sister wants to know.

‘Oh, she’s doing all right.’ Though it was touch and go for a minute. ‘She’s gone away for a few days with a friend. To the Cotswolds.’

‘I could do with a bit of that myself,’ Chelsea says, and the accompanying laugh is tired. This is the first time I’ve ever heard her voice the fact that there might be a chink in her perfect life.

Perhaps they’ve had a row. Goodness only knows, it’s normal in most marriages. Just not Chelsea’s.

Guiltily, I glance out of the window at our car. We’re hardly the picture of marital harmony. Predictably, Greg is drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. ‘I’d better go.’

I was going to raise the matter of the bounced cheque again, but decide that this isn’t the right time.

‘I’ll help you carry the bags,’ Chelsea offers.

I follow her back to the hall. The feeling of disquiet just won’t leave me. ‘Sure everything’s fine?’

‘Tickety-boo,’ she says. But her smile is tight.

She picks up the two carriers and I notice that the contents are rather more meagre than I’d hoped. Still, I’m grateful that Chelsea has even bothered, and my sister’s cast-offs will be a million times better than anything I can drag out of my wardrobe. She carries the clothes out to the car, and Greg gets out and kisses her briefly on the cheek. Then Chelsea put the bags in the boot.

‘Call me,’ I say to her. ‘Let me know if there’s anything that you need.’

‘I will,’ she promises. ‘I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.’

But now I am worried, and I don’t know why.

Chapter 88

Chapter 88