‘What did she mean by that?’

‘She wants to help us, Ian. She’s so nice. She also said she knows another couple who are going through something similar to us and it might be possible for her to put us in touch, if they agreed. She said that sharing something like this can help. I said I’d let her know.’

‘All right,’ Ian said, while thinking the last thing he needed was to be saddled with someone else’s horror story. ‘I’m glad you’re feeling better. I’m going for lunch now, so I’ll see you later.’

‘Yes, bye, thanks for phoning.’

‘See you later, love.’

THIRTY-THREE

Ruby topped up their glasses of red wine as Jan gathered together the plates and took them into the kitchen.

‘That was delicious, thank you,’ Ruby said. ‘But you shouldn’t have gone to all that trouble.’

‘No trouble. It was nice to cook for someone else for a change. When it’s just me it’s pasta or a jacket potato. We’ll have our pudding later, shall we?’

‘Oh yes, I’m full. Now come and sit down and tell me what’s been going on here. I understand from what you’ve said so far that Chris turned out to be a bit of a weirdo, but what’s wrong with the cottage? It seems idyllic if you want time out, although I think I’d prefer it in summer.’

Jan sat in the armchair opposite Ruby. Ruby was on the sofa, her legs curled under her, Tinder at her feet. Their conversation so far had been mainly catching up – about work, relationships, their families and mutual friends, and village life. Jan had wanted to leave the rest until after they’d eaten and she had a few drinks inside her. She’d mentioned Chris and their disastrous first date, and that she’d seen him with another woman the following day, but nothing about being stalked or the strange happenings around the cottage.

Now she needed to try to explain to Ruby what she’d seen without sounding hysterical.

‘It’s difficult to know where to begin,’ Jan said, taking another sip of her wine.

‘Start at the beginning – that’s what you always tell me when I have a problem,’ Ruby smiled.