‘Of course she has. Please ask my sister to ring me as soon as possible,’ she said coldly. ‘I really need to speak to her about arrangements for Rory.’

She resisted the temptation to invent some spurious drama about the child that might kick-start his mother’s maternal instincts into action – if she had maternal instincts. So far there had been no response to her call. What was Lorna playing at? What sinister motive was behind her behaviour? One thing was certain: no actions of Lorna’s were ever uncalculated.

Isobel whistled for the dogs, and went round the back, where her ancient Volvo estate car was parked. ‘Come on, Flapper. Bad luck, Lozzie, I’m afraid it’s slimming time. You can get in at the bottom,’ and she set off down the drive whistling for the dogs to follow. It was a wonderful way of exercising them when she was busy and Flapper, despite her advancing years, still loved tearing after the car with her ears streaming in the wind. Poor Lozenge, who adored riding in the car and hated to be left behind, was less enchanted with the idea, but trundled gallantly along behind, her short legs going like a clockwork toy, the gap between her and the car getting ever wider. At the end of the drive Isabel stopped and got out to open the back for Flapper, who leaped straight in, while Lozenge was still a grey speck in the distance. Eventually she appeared, panting but triumphant.

‘If you didn’t eat so much you wouldn’t need to do that, you old greedy guts,’ said Isobel severely as she lifted her in. Lozenge gave her a reproachful look and started noisily slurping from the water bowl in the back of the car, making a great deal of mess. Isobel’s car was usually a tip – the worst mess was confined behind the dog-guard, but old shopping lists and sweet papers tended to litter the floor, not to mention a miscellaneous collection of boots and waterproof jackets belonging to various members of the family, which seemed to breed on the rear seat. Now there was also Rory’s car seat, and some of his books and toys had lately been added to the general clutter. Rory . . . I’ll get this week over and then, Isobel vowed to herself, then Giles and I will have to sort the situation out and come to some decisions.

She wondered how Christopher Piper would react to the fact that Louisa had been checking up on him and was certainly going to let him know. At least nobody could call my life dull, she thought wryly, and as always she sent up a prayer of thanks for the home and family she loved so much. It had been threatened with possible break-up once before. She had no intention of letting it happen again.