‘I think Tom should give you away,’ said Martha.

‘Yes, that’s perfect!’ agreed Willow. ‘Tom, you’ll do it, won’t you? Say you will!’

‘Steady on, you girls,’ he said, ‘it’s for your mother to decide something as important as that.’ Then looking at Naomi, he said, ‘It would be an honour to do it, if you’d like me to. There again, you might like to have Martha and Willow walk you up the aisle. Unless they are to be your bridesmaids.’

Martha let out a cry of protest. ‘What a ghastly idea, a pair of pregnant bridesmaids waddling behind their mother!’

Naomi laughed. ‘I’ll take that as a no, then? Now please, can we stop all this wedding talk, you’re making feel quite jittery about the whole thing. Any more of it and I’ll suggest to Ellis that we simply elope.’

He gave her hand a small squeeze. ‘I’m up for that if you fancy it. Vegas here we come! Or do you prefer Gretna Green?’

‘So long as you still have a pre-nup organised first.’

Naomi levelled her gaze on her eldest daughter. ‘Don’t worry, Martha,’ she said, ‘we’ve taken steps in that direction already.’

Which was true. Next week she and Ellis had an appointment with a firm of solicitors in Chichester. She had decided against using the firm Colin had always used in London in the City; she wanted to do things her way and with somebody who didn’t know her. Or more importantly, with someone who didn’t know Colin. This was to be a new start for her.

But how she wished she didn’t feel as though it had become such an uphill struggle. She missed those days when it had been just her and Ellis, when they had been seeing each other in secret and it had been a gloriously uncomplicated affair between the two of them. She had felt so blissfully liberated then; now that carefree happiness felt tarnished by the worry of trying to please everybody.

There was no avoiding the change in Rick’s mood now they were on their way back to London.

For a start he was driving much faster than he usually did, and had barely opened his mouth to speak to Willow. His face was set like stone and he swore under his breath every time the driver in front of them hit the brakes, and for no apparent reason according to Rick. Other than, Willow suspected, to try and stop Rick from tailgating him so closely. Any nearer and they’d be in the boot of the poor driver’s car.

Dad used to be the same. It would make Mum so anxious if he was angry when he was behind the wheel of the car. He’d mutter and grumble and swear like a trooper, and become angrier still whenever Mum told him to calm down.

‘What’s wrong, Rick?’ Willow asked him. ‘Has something upset you?’

‘Do you really need to ask me that? Can’t you work it out for yourself? Or do I have to do everything for you?’