‘Oh, Thea. Did you think I’d care about that? I just assumed we weren’t going to go in for any of that mush. Karen and I never bothered about it.’

‘Oh.’ Outrageously, she felt distinctly slighted, until she gave herself a shake. ‘But you didn’t just forget about it, did you? You knew which day it was and just never said anything. That’s much less awful than me not giving it a thought.’ Was it, though, she silently wondered. Wasn’t there something wrong, either way?

‘Stop it,’ he said, sounding tired. ‘Make it up to me when you get home.’

‘I will. So – how’s things? Why was Stephanie answering the phone? How’s Hepzie?’

‘She’s fine. Being lazy. Feeling her age, I guess. Steph’s very good on the phone now. She’s heard me do it often enough. She knows what to say.’

‘Yes, I know she has – but a child answering a 150funeral call isn’t right, is it? What will people think?’

‘They know we don’t go in for undue formality. They’ll think it’s nice.’

‘Oh, well – it’s your business. So, everything’s all right, then, is it?’

‘Everything’s fine,’ he said emphatically. ‘Just leave us to get on with it, okay? I’m assuming you’re all right? Are you involved in any police investigation over the woman that died?’

He sounded strangely detached, as if he only wanted to hear platitudes and blithe assurances. It felt impossible to burden him with her own alarming news that Grace’s death had been deliberately inflicted by a mysterious stranger, and that Thea herself was possibly under suspicion. The reappearance of Clovis. The powerful sense of loss at the absence of her spaniel. The cost of a modest meal at the local pub – even that seemed too much of an imposition, the way Drew sounded. ‘Yes, I’m alive and well,’ she chirped. ‘The police have questioned me a bit more today, which was all very interesting. Now I’ve got a whole evening of nothing. I’m missing you all, and still immensely remorseful about the anniversary, whatever you say.’

‘Then let’s just get on with it,’ he said softly. ‘You don’t have to worry. And you really don’t have to phone every day, you know. Not unless there’s something important. It’s only a few more days. Nothing to get in a stew about. Just relax and have fun − leave it till Thursday now, why don’t you? Bye, love.’

And he was gone. She stood holding her phone, 151staring at the blank screen. Had that really been her husband, or had an interloper taken his place? He had sounded so … impenetrable. As if he’d put up barriers against her. Was he secretly furious with her for abandoning them, to the point where he could barely speak to her? Drew, who did not do secrets; who had always insisted they share all their thoughts and feelings, however unpalatable? Although Thea had known that such an ambition was unachievable, she liked the basic intention. The two of them had shared their doubts and anxieties concerning the business, and where they should live when faced with a sudden need to choose between Drew’s former home and Broad Campden. But Thea had concealed her reaction to Clovis, seeing no possible benefit to letting Drew become aware that his wife was in thrall to another man. She had believed it to be all over and done with, anyway. She had been entirely convinced that there need never be another encounter between her and the darkly handsome Mr Biddulph.