‘What d’you mean you’re not coming back tomorrow? What am I supposed to do? I can’t just leave Reggie.’

‘I’ve got my own problems.’ Cosmo sounds sulky. ‘You dropped me right in it and I’m going to have to talk my way out of it.’

‘And what about Amy?’ asks Al. ‘Does that mean it’s all over for her?’

There’s a silence. Al can almost hear Cosmo weighing up the situation. If he can’t win Becks around he’s got Amy in reserve. Cosmo likes to have a plan B.

‘Have you told her anything?’ asks Cosmo.

Al gives a disgusted snort. ‘If you mean have I told her you’ve got a girlfriend in London, then no, I haven’t. You realize you’re behaving like a complete shit? And what am I supposed to do if you don’t get back here tomorrow afternoon?’

‘That’s your problem,’ says Cosmo.

The line goes dead and Al waits for a moment and then throws the phone down on the sofa with an exclamation of frustration. He sits, trying to see a way forward, wondering what he will do if Cosmo really does decide not to come back. Al has a pretty strong suspicion now that this is going to happen and that he’ll be left in the lurch. He feels slightly responsible for the whole business because he asked Cosmo to help his parents out, but his anger is partly for himself and partly for Amy. She doesn’t deserve this.

A message pings in and he picks it up. It’s one of his old school friends hoping they can all meet up together again soon. He agrees about another group session and to a suggestion to meet up for a drink next weekend. No question but he’ll have to be back in London by then.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

As they drive to The Keep in Sam’s Mini the following morning Cara is rather quiet. A westerly is driving tattered clouds before it, whirling the autumn leaves high into the sky, flinging handfuls of rain across the windscreen.

‘Everything OK?’ asks Sam, glancing sideways at her.

She doesn’t answer straight away but sits slightly hunched, with her arms crossed, frowning, as if she is considering his question.

‘I think so,’ she says at last. ‘To be absolutely honest I was rather surprised at Judith’s reaction to us going. It was almost as if she didn’t want me to go, which is a bit surprising. I don’t mean to sound rude or anything but I thought she might be quite pleased to see the back of me for a few days. She seemed almost put out.’

Sam nods. ‘I know what you mean. I noticed it but didn’t give it much thought.’