Before he could slip away, James got roped into giving Mrs Beaumont a lift to the nursing home with the spare hot water urn and two trays of leftover sandwiches.

‘I’m not so active as I used to be,’ she said, testing that the back door of the club was locked properly and running a flat palm along the wall so as to stay upright, the other resting on his arm. ‘Denise should know that and not leave me here wondering when she’s going to collect me. She’s working at the court house now, did you know?’

James nodded and left her at the bottom of the ramp while he loaded the sandwiches into the back seat of the hire car and drove it back across to collect her. She stood watching as he lifted the rattling urn and dealt with the wayward cord.

‘You take more care, don’t you?’

‘Pardon?’

‘Any other man would have just flung it in there and not worried about whether the lid flew off, or the cord broke. You did it nicely without asking. You’re a well brought-up boy.’

While he helped her into the passenger seat Mrs Beaumont fussed over whether she’d lost the hall keys somewhere on the gravel. He was just crossing to the driver’s door when an orange sedan pulled into the shade. Out of it emerged Denise.

‘Have you got Mum in there?’ she asked. ‘I’m so sorry, I got held up at the court house. Looks like it’s all finished up?’

‘Everyone’s going to the pub. I was just going to take your mum home.’

‘That’s very kind of you, but I can take it from here,’ she said, and knocked on the passenger window. ‘Mum, we can let Jamie go to the pub with the family!’

‘The urn’s in the back,’ James said. ‘I’ll bring it over.’

‘No, I’ll just help Mum and I’ll come back for it,’ Denise said.

‘Always late!’ Mrs Beaumont said as Denise helped her into the front of her own car. As she returned, she scanned the back steps.

‘Everyone gone?’ Denise asked.

‘I think so. Your mum has the key.’

Denise laughed quietly. ‘Oh, yes. We won’t give up the key, even though we’re not on the committee these days.’

James smiled a little, sensing Denise wanted to talk. He went for the urn as a means of giving her a distraction, and as he emerged from the back seat, arms full, he could tell by the look on her face that she was about to spill.