‘You’re the first we’ve told, so don’t go telling anyone just yet. Oh and look, now I’m crying too.’

‘You do that all the time,’ said Aidan, leaning away from his wife as if well aware that he was risking a poke in the ribs from her.

‘Pregnancy hormones are pure shite,’ said Sorcha with feeling, taking her third chocolate biscuit from the plate in the middle of the table. ‘I had a hard time not crying when one of our clients said she wanted to get a divorce.’

Aidan shook his head in mock despair. ‘And she comes in once a month wanting a divorce. Keeps her husband out of the pub for a couple of weeks.’

‘That’s true. Herself and Kenny love a good fight. And she’s as glad to have him back in the pub most of the time.’

Hannah laughed.

‘Sure, it’s a madhouse round here,’ said Aidan, ‘but I wouldn’t change it. If I thought you’d move, I’d offer you a partnership, like, yesterday. Business is growing and with Sorcha off on maternity leave, I’m going to be swamped.’

‘You know me,’ said Hannah, shaking her head vehemently.

‘Indeed I do. The only way you’ll leave Ingrams is in a coffin,’ he observed, with a mournful twist to his mouth. ‘You know it would be dead easy for you to come here.’

‘I don’t know anything about the Irish law system.’

‘Ah but that’s the good thing. It’s very similar to the UK; all you need is a certificate of admission.’ He turned puppy dog eyes on her. ‘They’re easy to get.’

Hannah laughed. ‘Not buying. I’m happy where I am.’

‘You’ll find someone,’ said Sorcha patting his hand and exchanging a wry smile with Hannah. ‘He’s almost as bad as you are. Wanting everything to stay the same.’

‘I just want someone I know I can work with.’ Aidan pulled a face. ‘That won’t let me down and knows how to make a decent cup of tea.’

‘Not worried about their legal qualifications then?’ teased Hannah.

‘Lord, no. As long as they can read my writing and make tea, they’ll be grand.’

They all laughed. Hannah knew for a fact that Aidan, like Sorcha, was extremely meticulous and methodical in his work, which was why the three of them had always got on so well.

‘So how’s your dad?’ asked Hannah with a deliberate change of subject.

‘He’s a new man. In fact if I hadn’t seen him all grey and wizened in the hospital, I’d a thought he was faking it, just to get me to come home but he was fierce poorly. He says retiring is the best thing he’s ever done.’