Now Fenella hugged her tightly. ‘Sorry, I was so excited about Dermot that I forgot my manners. Come in properly, dump your bags and come on down to the kitchen. I’ll show you your room when the fan heater’s had time to warm it up a bit.’

Laura put her case down and separated the carrier bag with a box of chocolates and a plant in it. She had come for a serious planning weekend. ‘So Jacob Stone didn’t mind that Dermot wanted to keep it all under wraps for as long as possible?’

Fenella shook her head. ‘I don’t think he cares that much about the festival, he just wanted to hear Dermot Flynn.’ She paused. ‘Well, come on. Let’s go down to the kitchen and have a drink. Rupert’s cooking supper. It smells heavenly. I’m doing pudding, which is the very exotic ice cream with Marsala poured over it.’

‘Unusual,’ said Laura, following her hostess down the stairs, holding her carrier.

‘Actually it’s delish, but not exactly labour-intensive, which is why I serve it so often.’

‘You don’t think we should start work before we eat? I’ve come to work, after all.’

‘I know and you will but tomorrow will do. My brain doesn’t function after five o’clock anyway. Just be a guest and relax tonight.’

Within minutes the present was delivered and exclaimed over and Laura was seated at the kitchen table with a big glass of wine and a bowl of pistachios in front of her. Rupert had delivered these shortly after he had embraced her warmly. ‘Oh that’s delicious!’ she said, having taken a sip. Although superficially she was talking about the wine, privately she was commenting on the welcome. Her own family didn’t do hugs and wine, more ‘Oh, hello dear’ and ‘I suppose I’d better put the kettle on’. She had yet to tell them how she’d got on in Ireland, but as they hadn’t asked either, she didn’t feel too guilty. And she’d been too busy to visit them since she’d got back.

Fenella took the seat opposite her, having been assured by her husband that there was nothing she could do to help with the meal until later. ‘So,’ she said eagerly, anxious to prise all the details out of Laura. ‘Tell all. Did you have to offer Dermot Flynn your body to get him to agree to come?’

For a stunned moment, Laura wondered how on earth Fenella could have known this, but then realised she was joking. Monica, the only other person apart from Dermot who knew, wouldn’t have told her.

She decided the truth would be a good disguise. ‘Practically, but you’ll be glad to hear he didn’t take me up on it.’