In the time since, Naomi had often wondered how Colin would have lived his life had she died first. Certainly, coping with anything of a domestic nature would have thrown him. A long-held complaint of Naomi’s had been his apparent inability to locate the dishwasher or vacuum cleaner. Not for them a modern marriage of a husband pitching in with the cooking or washing; those duties had been assigned to Naomi from the start, admittedly with the help of a cleaner once a week when she’d opened her shop.

She was glad Martha and Tom had a different approach to balancing their relationship; they had worked out a more equal way of sharing the roles. She hoped that Willow would be as fortunate with whomever she chose to spend her life.

For now, it seemed that Rick might be that man. Good-looking and caring and thoroughly level-headed, he had all the attributes any parent would want for their daughter. But would Willow, who was so fickle when it came to boyfriends, stick with him? Or would she grow bored of what might seem like a safe option compared to previous relationships she’d experienced?

Over the years Naomi had learnt not to become too emotionally invested in any of the boyfriends Willow had brought home for her and Colin to meet. Colin had dismissed them all as no-hopers with as much get-up-and-go as a wet paper bag. Naomi had often wondered if Willow had deliberately chosen those boyfriends to provoke her father. Had she waited until her father was dead to find the right man, when he wouldn’t be able to crow triumphantly? ‘Aha, at last, she brings home somebody with a decent haircut and prospects!’

Naomi hated to admit it, but privately she had thought more or less the same thing when she’d first met Rick. As shallow as it sounded, she’d approved straight away of the car he drove and the box of Lindt chocolates he’d given her, along with a bottle of Prosecco. Over lunch, he’d complimented her on the meal she’d cooked, and chatted easily with Martha and Tom. He had clearly wanted to make a good impression, and had succeeded.

‘I can’t believe it; she’s actually going out with a fully-formed adult!’ Martha had pronounced after that first meeting with Rick.

It was generally agreed that if he stayed the course with Willow, Rick would be a welcome addition to the family. Would there be the same agreement, Naomi wondered, when she introduced Ellis to her daughters?

As yet they knew nothing about him. And all anyone in Tilsham knew was that Naomi and Ellis had known one another a long time ago. If it were down to her, she would prefer to keep things the way they were, with no one the wiser; it was simpler that way, because once the genie was out of the bottle – once she told Martha and Willow about Ellis – everything would change.

Armed with a long feather duster, she climbed the stepladders she had placed in front of one of the side windows. She had reached the top when she heard voices behind her, over by the font. One of the voices belonged to Jennifer Kingsbury, the chief organiser of today’s covert spring clean.