They stayed for another hour or so, until Matt sensed that Kate was growing restless. ‘I think we should make a move, guys. It’s been really lovely seeing you both again. You must come over to us next week. It’s our turn to cook.’

A slight look of irritation passed across Kate’s face, but Matt chose to ignore it.

‘Yes,’ added Liz, ‘although I’m not sure we’re up to the standard of Master Chef here.’ She grinned at Will.

‘We’d love to,’ said Kate, with a wide, forced smile. ‘We certainly mustn’t leave it so long next time.’

As Matt and Liz drove down the lane to Emilia Swain’s cottage, Liz let out a long low whistle. ‘Oh my!’

She said nothing further. She didn’t need to.

* * *

Will had just started clearing the dishes and stacking the dishwasher when he saw Kate sitting at the table with a large glass of wine, staring at a wallpaper sample.

‘I thought you didn’t want a drink, honey,’ he said affably, ‘or I’d have poured you one.’

She stared at him coldly. ‘I changed my mind. There’s no law against that, is there?’

‘Of course not,’ he said carefully. ‘Uh, what’s the matter, Kate?’

‘You really don’t get it, do you? Why on earth did you invite them round? You know how much I have to do, but you make me waste all this time.’

Will was dumbstruck.

‘Oh, don’t stand there with your mouth open, for heaven’s sake. I just don’t have time for people and idle chit-chat right now. I thought you would have realised that. And anyway, sure they were very helpful when we moved in, but they aren’t really my kind of people.’

Will suddenly found his voice. ‘What on earth do you mean by that? We’ve spent more time with Matt and Liz than anybody. Hell, you’ve spent enough hours with Liz in the past, drinking her wine and having girlie days out! They’ve been damned good friends to us!’

Kate, her back rigid, stared unblinkingly at the heavy book of wallpaper patterns. ‘Oh, don’t make a song and dance about it, Will. I only said I wasn’t that keen on them. I don’t have to like all your friends, do I? Now, what do you think of this stripe for the hall and stairs?’

Will turned his back on his wife, stormed out of the house and went to the woodshed.

* * *

Kate came by twenty minutes later. He was still hurling the axe into the big, round logs, reducing them to kindling, and himself to a sweating, gasping, mess.