‘I’m afraid we don’t do refunds,’ said Giles. ‘If you have taken out the holiday insurance that was suggested on the booking form, then you will be able to take it up with the insurance company, though I’m afraid they’re unlikely to pay except in cases of illness or emergency.’ He added smoothly, ‘But we’ll be delighted to arrange a taxi to take you to the station if that’s what you want.’

‘You won’t get a penny out of me,’ shouted Stanley. He glared furiously at Catherine. ‘Call yourself a teacher,’ he said rudely. ‘You don’t know good writing when you see it. Come along Win. We’ll not waste more time.’

There was an embarrassed silence. Everyone’s eyes turned to Win. She sat down again in her chair and looked straight at her husband. ‘You go, Stanley,’ she said quietly. ‘You go on home if that’s what you want, but I’m learning more from Catherine than I’ve learned from anyone in years and I shall stay and finish the course.’

Catherine, touched by Win’s bravery, but not wanting to be the cause of a domestic break-up, said, ‘I’m sorry you feel like that, Stanley. Why don’t you both discuss this in private? We were just about to break for coffee now anyway. We’ll leave you to talk it over together.’

‘Nowt to discuss.’ Stanley looked like a stocky black bull, such a bad-tempered gleam in his bloodshot eyes that Christopher quite expected to see him start pawing the ground prior to a charge. ‘You heard me, Win.’ He stood in the doorway, blocking everyone else’s line of retreat. But his wife stayed where she was.

‘No, Stanley. I agree there’s nothing to discuss. You go home, but I won’t be coming back with you. Not this time.’

He looked at her for a moment in disbelief, then turned and blundered out of the room without another word.

‘Oh, well done, Win!’ There was universal approval.

‘You’ll have to excuse Stanley,’ she said, suddenly looking very distressed. ‘It’s just that he’s finding his retirement ever so difficult. We . . . we both are. He’s not been used to having time on his hands and his writing’s always been his pet little hobby, his special pride, so it’s hard . . . especially as I’ve taken to it so well. He wasn’t expecting that. Bit of a break from each other may be a good thing.’ Though her words to her husband had sounded so calm, now that he’d gone Win’s voice shook. She gave Giles an uncertain smile. ‘I’m ever so sorry he was so rude to you. If there’s a problem about the money I can pay my own fee.’