‘Just working out ways to increase my fundraising efforts.’

‘I contacted all my old girlfriends,’ Blake tells me. ‘I told them I’d put all the compromising photographs I took of them on Facebook if they didn’t cough up.’ He laughs at that.

I think he’s joking, so I laugh too.

Greg is due to go out fishing today, as usual, and I’ve got the day to myself. This is the time for action.

I could set out my car wash at home. Paint a bit of a sign to stand at the front gate. The road is quite a busy thoroughfare at the rush hour and weekends. Perhaps I could entice both my stingy neighbours and the passing traffic. Surely someone would be prepared to pay a fiver for a superb hand car wash in aid of charity? It’s not yet eight o’clock so I’ve plenty of time to implement my plan, wash a couple of dozen cars and have everything packed away by the time my husband comes home.

The thought of it puts a spring in my step.

‘Whoa,’ BC says. ‘What’s got into you, woman? I’m having trouble keeping up with you this morning.’

I know that he’s teasing me, but it makes me feel good anyway.

‘Come on, slowcoach,’ I shout at him as, from somewhere, I find a veritable sprint and leave him behind. Blake picks up his pace and drops in beside me again as we race past the trees, the houses, the ducks, a lightness in my spirit.

I am a resourceful, powerful woman and nothing can stop me now.

Chapter 49

Chapter 49

In the depths of the loft I find a massive piece of white cardboard that’ll do just nicely. From the back of the kitchen drawer comes a black magic marker that’s not too dried up.

CHARITY CAR WASH, I write in my biggest, boldest script. ONLY £5!

As I imagined, I have the house to myself. Greg has gone fishing. No note left. Once upon a time he would have left a little endearment scribbled on the Post-it notepad, but not now. Ellen works every Saturday and my son spends most of it at the pub squandering the meagre wages he’s spent all week earning on Magners cider.

In the garage I find the bucket, some Halford’s car shampoo, a sponge and a chamois leather. It’s fair to say that my car-washing skills are a little rusty as that’s normally Greg’s job, but I’ll soon get my hand in again.