‘Jeanie!’ she said now, blinking in surprise as she saw Robyn’s mother-in-law approaching along the pavement from where she’d parked, a duty-free bag in hand. Jeanie looked very brown, she noticed, although what had she done to her hair? Someone had given her a very bad cut that didn’t suit her in the slightest. ‘Hello, it’s been ages,’ she added politely, feeling a complete hypocrite, seeing as this was entirely down to her. ‘How are you?’

‘I’m fine, but . . .’ Jeanie grimaced. ‘Goodness, I’m very sad about what’s happened with John and Robyn, as I’m sure you are. I couldn’t believe it.’ She shook her head. ‘Words fail me.’

‘I know,’ said Alison tightly. Talk about awkward, she thought, as Jeanie came to a standstill beside her. Because Robyn was her daughter, who’d been very badly let down by Jeanie’s son, and there was no getting away from that. If Jeanie dared started trying to defend John in any way, or twist things around so that she blamed Robyn at all, then . . .

‘Poor Robyn, how is she?’ Jeanie asked, cutting into Alison’s thoughts. ‘Honestly, I could wring John’s neck, I really could. I’ve never been so disappointed in one of my own children. I feel absolutely dreadful about the whole thing – and me being out of the country as well, while it happened.’

To be fair, she did look pretty wretched about it. Not least because of the terrible haircut. ‘Robyn’s bearing up,’ Alison replied guardedly, wondering if Jeanie was here to report back to John. ‘Doing the best she can. She broke the news to Sam and Daisy tonight, which sounded pretty upsetting.’

‘Oh dear.’ Was that actually a tear in Jeanie’s eye? ‘The poor little loves. I brought them some presents from my holiday, but it’s going to take more than that, isn’t it? Bless them.’

‘I’m sure they’ll be glad of a distraction – they’ll be really pleased to see you,’ Alison said, softening slightly towards the other woman. Anyone who was kind to her grandchildren was okay by her, after all, and she knew how fond Robyn was of Jeanie, too. She was relieved that the Mortimers seemed to be sticking by Robyn, moreover, despite her daughter’s initial fears. ‘How was your holiday, by the way?’ she added, noticing a plane flying above their heads. ‘Did you have a lovely time?’

‘Well . . .’ To Alison’s surprise, Jeanie looked uncharacteristically bashful. Embarrassed, even. ‘Yes, but it’s probably a good thing that I’m back home,’ she said rather cryptically, lowering her voice, as one of Robyn’s neighbours cycled past them. ‘Back home, and acting my age again, too.’