‘Not really,’ muttered Naomi crossly. She returned her attention to tidying up the pelargoniums which she’d brought inside to overwinter in the conservatory. Which was where she and Geraldine had been since having their morning coffee, a ritual her friend stuck to no matter where she was or what was going on around her. It was the kind of intransigence that she despised emphatically in Brian but, to Naomi’s amusement, didn’t recognise in herself.

‘What’s worrying you most?’ asked Geraldine some minutes later.

‘I would have thought that was obvious,’ answered Naomi. ‘Willow said she’d ring me, and she hasn’t. She’s thirty-two weeks pregnant and—’

‘Have you thought that she’s simply forgotten all about it, or even that she’s gone into an early labour and there just hasn’t been time for either her or Rick to contact you?’

‘Well, of course I’ve thought of that, I’ve thought of every conceivable reason for her not ringing me!’

‘Hey, don’t get all snappy with me. Why don’t you try Rick’s mobile?’

‘I have and there was no reply.’

‘In that case there’s not a lot else you can do, is there?’

Ellis took it as a good sign that Martha had agreed to let him drive her down to Anchor House and an even better sign that she seemed quite relaxed with him. On the A3 now and making good time, he decided to sound her out about something he had wanted to discuss with her for a few weeks now.

‘There’s something I’d like your opinion about,’ he said.

‘If it’s about you and Mum, then really I’d sooner you didn’t go any further.’

Ellis admired her forthrightness, a character trait he strongly suspected she’d inherited from her father. ‘No,’ he said, ‘it’s nothing to do with Naomi and me. It’s about Rick.’

There was an imperceptible turn of her head towards Ellis, almost as though she wanted to face him, but was reluctant to do so. ‘What about Rick?’ she said.

‘Do you like him?’

There was a small beat before she replied. ‘What makes you ask that?’

‘I think you share the same view as me, that he’s unhealthily possessive of your sister.’

‘That infers there’s a healthy way to be possessive?’ she said.

‘Okay, it was a bad choice of words on my part. But semantics aside, do you feel he’s too possessive of Willow?’

‘Yes. And seeing as we’re being honest with each other, I think there’s something creepy about him.’

‘I agree.’

‘You do?’ Now she did turn her head to look at him properly. ‘What does Mum think?’

‘I’m not sure. It isn’t something I felt I should raise with her. I’m not family, after all.’

‘True. But you’re raising it with me?’

‘That’s because I believe you feel as repelled as I do by the way he plays with Willow’s hair.’

She grimaced. ‘You’re right, it sets my teeth on edge every time he does it; it’s as if he’s staking out his ownership of her. Mum must have mentioned something about that to you, surely?’