They walked back together, once again holding hands. But his thoughts were already elsewhere, she could tell, and he hardly said a word.

She stopped at the door to his office and grabbed his sleeve, shaking him slightly. ‘Pay attention for one minute more, Angus. Is it all right if I start looking through your family records?’

‘What?’ His eyes blinked briefly into focus.

‘Your family records – shall I go through them and see if I can find out more about Saffron Lane?’

‘Good idea.’

‘And if you can’t go shopping for your clothes tomorrow, my lad, we’ll go as soon as you’ve finished this job. You’re not wriggling out of it.’

‘Slave driver.’ He gave her a quick hug and was gone for the rest of the day and half the night, too.

She’d been looking forward to a day out in Swindon shopping and having lunch somewhere nice. However, they needed the money Angus made on these specialist jobs, so it was a good thing she had her own interests and had taken over the business side of the property.

He had been one of the trailblazers in his area of IT, but he said technology changed quickly, so he needed to make as much money as he could before things changed again and left him trailing behind. Of course, he might luck out and get into another developing area or his next app might take off. He had a few ideas he wanted to fiddle with. Who knew?

She felt sometimes as if the world had suddenly turned into a roller coaster and people no sooner adjusted to one change than they were whirled away in another direction entirely and had to scramble to keep up.

But perhaps that was her own view. Some people seemed to enjoy change.

Oh, who knew anything? She’d better make a start on those records. Saffron Lane seemed very interesting.

Chapter Two

The day ended badly when Stacy spilt coffee all over herself and the tablecloth.

Her mother grabbed the dishcloth and began to mop up, scowling at her. ‘You’ve got to snap out of this – this dopiness, Stacy Walsh, and join the real world again. You’re still down in the dumps about your divorce, I know, and it was hard when it happened so suddenly, but it’s been over a year now. More than time to move on.’

‘I know. I’m getting there.’

‘You always say that and you haven’t got anywhere noticeable yet. Just look at you! When was the last time you had your hair trimmed? Or bought a new top? That one’s too small for you now.’

‘Leave me alone. Please, Mum. I’ve had a hard day at work.’

‘So have I. So has your dad. Employers don’t pay anyone to sit around sunbathing, you know. Anyway, I’m not going to leave you alone from now on. I’ve tried doing that and it doesn’t work. I love you too much to stand by while you go on like this, hiding from the world except for going to work, treading water instead of doing something with yourself. You’re only twenty-five. Your life isn’t over yet.’