‘A bit tricky at the moment’, said Gary. ‘Right now he’s ferrying men from the Ordnance Survey around the Isles of Scilly.’

Erica didn’t really know what made her go and see Christopher Devon. Perhaps it was a combination of factors–Tiger meeting Kate at the airport, the two of them seeing Dr Cummings in the Chinese restaurant. She just felt that she hadn’t talked to Christopher for a long time and that it was time to catch up.

When he and Kate had been together the four of them had socialized much more–dined out, even shared the odd weekend away in Bath or Oxford. But since Kate’s departure it had been more difficult. Tiger met Christopher regularly on Friday nights, but Erica had hardly encountered him at all, except on the rare occasions when he had dropped Tiger off after their domino sessions.

She had a soft spot for Christopher. He was a gentleman in both senses of the word. Weak, she felt, in some ways, but kind hearted. He deserved better.

She was not at all sure that he would be in when she called on the off chance. She parked in the bumpy lane outside his house and peered over the low flint wall. It was just as she remembered it. And now, as the spring buds were beginning to burst, she saw the tidy garden in the remains of its winter finery. The neatly clipped yew topiary, the low hedges of box, the freshly forked borders running up either side of the flagged stone path that led to the front door of the Queen Anne house. Evenly mown lawns lay to right and left and beyond them, on the far side of the house, the ground sloped gradually away. Here, paths were mown among apple trees that grew in the daffodil-dappled grass that led down to the stream. Such a picture. Such a sadness that it was no longer a happy house.

Erica pushed open the gate and walked up the path to the front door. Before she could ring the bell the door was opened, not by Christopher, but by a petite woman in her forties.

‘Maria! What are you doing here?’

‘Oh, a bit of this and that. Cleaning mostly. Making sure he’s taken care of.’

‘I didn’t know…’

‘Mum does it usually. Only she’s away and asked me if I’d hold the fort. So here I am. Fort holding.’

Erica heard footsteps coming down the stairs, further back in the hall.

‘Who is it?’ enquired Christopher’s voice. And then he saw her. ‘Erica! What a nice surprise.’ He came forward and kissed her on both cheeks, then realized that he had interrupted a conversation. ‘Do you two know one another?’

Maria laughed. ‘Just a little. Our children were at play group together.’