He was standing up when she thought of something. ‘Rick,’ she said, ‘we need to keep this a secret between us for now.’

He frowned. ‘Why?’

On her feet too, she said, ‘Because I don’t want my sister to know I’m pregnant when she’s not.’

His frown deepened. ‘Look, you’re going to have to sort this with your family. You can’t always be pandering to Martha and worrying about her feelings. Ask yourself this, would she do the same for you?’

‘Perhaps not, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t—’

‘You need to put yourself first, Willow,’ he interrupted her. ‘No more letting your sister bully you.’

‘She doesn’t bully me.’

He scoffed at that. ‘She does it all the time. She can’t stop herself, and it really upsets me to see you always kowtowing to her. Didn’t you say she was just like your father?’

‘Well yes, but what’s that got to do with anything?’

‘Over lunch that day last month when Martha was bossing your mother about telling her she should sell Anchor House, your mother said that she wasn’t to bully her like your father had.’

Willow had forgotten Mum had made that comment. ‘Dad was just Dad,’ she said, ‘he was used to giving out orders at work and did it at home. It was no more than a habit with him.’

‘That’s as maybe, but understand this, I’m not going to stand by and let Martha dictate how you, or more to the point, how we live our lives. I gave her a pass when you had your last family get-together to meet your mum’s new boyfriend by not going with you, but I won’t be doing that on a regular basis. Especially not now that I’m going to be father of your mother’s first grandchild. It’s time somebody stood up to your sister, and for you as well, Willow.’

‘Okay, but can we just keep me being pregnant between us for a bit longer?’ She gave him her best winning smile. ‘Please?’

‘How can I resist?’ he said, kissing her forehead. ‘Now I really have to go. And remember to cancel your evening shift, I’m taking you out for dinner and that’s my final word on the subject.’

Chapter Twenty-One

Geraldine’s arrival in the rain at Anchor House with a small wheelie case and a bottle of Bollinger could not have been a less welcome sight for Naomi.

‘Have you been talking to Martha again?’ she demanded of her oldest friend, while making no attempt to step back to let her in.

‘I might have.’

‘And I suppose you think a bottle of fizz is a peace offering, or some kind of sweetener to soften the argument you plan to have with me? If so, I’ll warn you now, you’ve had a wasted journey.’

Her eyes dancing with mischievous delight, Geraldine smiled. ‘My, my, what lovely big ruffled feathers you have, Grandmama. And since I don’t plan to argue with you, least of all here on the doorstep for all and sundry to hear,’ she tipped her head towards Waterside Cottage next door, ‘why don’t you stop acting like a stroppy teenager and let me in?’