She gave the children flapjacks she’d made herself and glasses of florid orange squash, and they ran down the tiny garden, two immaculately matching beds striping either side, a swing hanging from the cherry tree at the end.

‘My only grandchild lives in America now,’ she said sadly, watching them run to the swing. ‘My son, well, his marriage broke down. It’s so common these days, isn’t it? His wife went back to Texas. And now – well, now Kate is gone.’ Her eyes filled with tears. ‘How did you know her?’ She turned to me abruptly.

‘We—From the club. You know.’

‘Those bloody clubs. I never wanted her to do all that circus stuff in the first place.’

‘She was brilliant, though.’ For the first time since I’d arrived, I wasn’t lying. ‘She had a real talent.’

‘She loved it, she did, flying over people’s heads. You should see their faces, Mum, she used to say. All turned up to me. And so peaceful up there.’

‘I’ll bet.’ I had an image of her twisted body on the floor and clutched my teacup tighter.

‘And she met all sorts. Rich boys who promised her the world and never stuck around.’ I thought of Charlie Higham. ‘I wish she’d stayed here. There was always a place for her here. With us.’

‘I suppose – the clubs were very glamorous.’

‘It was him that did it. He came into the café, all smiles and charm. He offered her a job. And now look. So much more fun than a café in town,’ she muttered. ‘That’s what she said.’

‘Who is – who is he? Was he called Charlie?’

‘No, it wasn’t Charlie, though he was good for nothing too. It was that bloody man. He broke her heart once. Then he came back. And now look. Look where he is too.’

My stomach lurched. I watched Freddie trip and fall on the grass, Alicia help him up. Effie clambered awkwardly onto the swing.

‘You’ve got a café?’ I tried to smile.

‘Yes, in town. It was my parents’ before mine.’ She sat wearily on the beige armchair in the corner, the fussy lace antimacassars over the arms, reminding me of the ones my grandma used to have. ‘The Tea Room, on the High Street.’

I was in that tunnel again.

‘We’re going to change the name now.’ I realised she was still talking. ‘My son’s arranging a new sign. We’re going to call it Kate’s Teas.’

The tunnel’s end was coming up too fast; I was going to smash into it. I blinked.

‘The Tea Room beside Blackwells?’ My voice was strangely hoarse. ‘Where all the Magdalen and Jesus students go?’

‘I don’t know which colleges use it, love. They’re all the same to me. Lots of foreign students too, these days.’ She looked at me again. ‘How did you say you knew my Kate?’