Before I can explain or she can elaborate any further, the doorbell rings and my heart leaps into my mouth once more as I hear Richenda greeting her son.

17

‘Honestly, Mum,’ I hear Luke’s frustrated voice saying as Richenda lets him in. ‘If you can smell gas, why don’t you just call the gas people? There’s nothing I’m going to be able to do about it, and I was on my way to an important appointment.’

Across the room, Cindy lifts her eyes to meet mine and I see a flash of anger in them.

‘I just don’t want to bother them if I’m imagining things,’ we hear Richenda telling him. ‘It won’t take you long and then you can be on your way.’

‘Fine. At least tell me all the lights are off. The last thing we need is for you to blow yourself up.’

‘I didn’t think of that. See, that’s why it’s good you’re here. It’s worst in the sitting room. Why don’t you hang up your coat and come in?’

I brace myself as Luke’s heavy tread comes down the hallway and I’m conscious of Cindy doing the same. I’m not sure what I’m expecting to happen when Luke comes through the door, but whatever it is isn’t going to be good.

‘I can’t smell anything, Mum,’ he’s saying irritably as he strides into the room before coming up short when he spots Cindy. ‘Oh, hello, love. What are you doing here? Don’t tell me Mum’s got you roped into this gas thing as well. Mum, she’s pregnant. If there was gas, it could harm the baby. What were you thinking?’

The position of my chair means I was half hidden behind the door when he came in, so he hasn’t spotted me yet.

‘I’m not here because of the gas,’ Cindy tells him in a voice so icy it could freeze a volcano. ‘I’m here because of her.’ Even I’m surprised by the venom in her voice as she says it. Time seems to stand still as Luke slowly turns, noticing me for the first time. I’m watching his face carefully, expecting to see the colour drain from it as he realises the game is up but, apart from a brief narrowing of the eyes, there’s nothing.

‘Sorry, I don’t understand,’ he says innocently, turning back to Cindy. ‘Why is Tilly here?’

‘So you admit you know her.’

‘Of course. We’re work colleagues. Is someone going to tell me what’s going on?’

‘I think you’re a little more than that,’ Cindy retorts. ‘Try again.’

We’re all watching him intently, waiting for him to crumble and admit everything but, to my astonishment, he actually starts laughing softly.