‘Something like that,’ he said flatly. ‘Was there anything else?’

Wow, he really was cross with her, wasn’t he? ‘Er … yes,’ she said, reluctantly acknowledging that maybe she should make more of an effort to put things right between them. ‘I think I might have inadvertently offended you, Rick.’

There was a pause before he responded. ‘You think, or you know that you inadvertently offended me?’

‘Okay,’ she said, waving back at Tom as he waved to her from the garden on the mower. ‘I know that I was rude that day at my mother’s.’

‘If it was only then, it wouldn’t matter. But you keep doing it.’

Now it was her turn to pause before answering. ‘Doing what?’ she asked.

‘Deliberately excluding me. Is it because you don’t like me?’

The directness of his question left her momentarily grappling for something to say. Not so long ago she would never have believed he would be asking her this, or that she would find herself having to lie. ‘Of course I like you,’ she said. ‘I think you’re great for Willow. You’re just the kind of boyfriend she needs.’

‘You have a strange way of showing that.’

‘I’m sorry if that’s how you feel,’ she said.

‘It’s not me you should apologise to, it’s your sister. This time you’ve really upset her.’

This time? Martha bridled at his tone and his accusation. But at the same time, she had to accept that there was doubtless an element of truth in what he’d said. It was just a bit much hearing it from him. But it did explain why Willow wasn’t returning her messages.

‘And the thing is,’ Rick said, just as she was about to apologise again, ‘I don’t want anyone upsetting Willow right now, not when she’s—’ He broke off.

‘Go on,’ she said, ‘when Willow’s what?’

‘Forget it, I shouldn’t have said anything. I promised Willow I wouldn’t.’

Martha’s senses were instantly on full alert. ‘If there’s something wrong with my sister, Rick, I think you should tell me.’

When again he didn’t answer her, her concern grew. ‘Willow’s not ill, is she?’

There was a rustling in her ear, followed by a sigh. ‘If I tell you, you have to swear you won’t tell her that I told you.’

‘Told me what?’

‘That she’s pregnant.’

Martha gripped the worktop in front of her and jammed the mobile hard against her ear. Once more Tom saw her at the window and waved, his face wreathed in a boyish smile of happy contentment in the golden sunlight. He looked so perfectly at one with the world. Whereas here, inside the kitchen, her world had just spun off its axis.

‘Are you still there, Martha?’ asked Rick.

‘Yes,’ she said faintly. ‘That’s …’ her words fell away as she fought to find the right ones.

Rick chuckled in her ear. ‘I think what you’re trying to say is that it’s quite a surprise.’ He chuckled again, shredding her nerves. ‘A shock might actually be more appropriate. We’re both still trying to come to terms with the idea of a baby. An actual baby! It’s going to mean a lot of change for us.’