Doc opened the door. He didn’t seem surprised to see her.

“Is Danny in? She knows I’m coming.”

“In the kitchen.”

Jude found her sitting at the table with her laptop open in front of her.

“Thanks for making the time.”

Danny raised her eyebrows. “Making the time? Jude, Jude, you’re always welcome here. You know that. You’re one of us.”

Jude wanted to shout out that, no, she wasn’t one of them, but instead she forced a smile. She had just started to speak when the door opened behind her and she turned to see Vin. The blood rushed to her face, and she saw him notice her confusion. He smiled at her and then he kissed her on the cheek.

“Jude was just saying that she had come to tell me something,” said Danny.

“Is it a girls’ thing or can I stay?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Do you want tea?” Vin asked.

“Mint,” said Danny.

“Want some, Jude?” said Vin. “It’s fresh from the garden.”

“I’m fine,” said Jude.

Vin filled the kettle and Jude took a seat opposite Danny, who closed her laptop and gazed at her without blinking.

“I’m going back to work on Monday,” Jude said.

“Me too,” said Danny.

“I thought I should come and tell you that I can’t be Liam’s executor. I never should have said yes in the first place.”

“And yet you did.”

“It was a mistake.”

“Have you told Dermot that?”

“Poor sod,” said Vin, pouring water over the sprigs of mint in two mugs. He opened the fridge and took out a plate covered in foil. “Last night’s pizza,” he said. “Want some?”

Jude ignored him.

“Don’t worry about Dermot. My brother’s an accountant. He said he’ll take it on. Free of charge.”

“Why should he do that for us?” asked Danny.

“He’s doing it for me.”

Vin took the seat beside Danny and lifted the foil off the pizza. He took an enormous mouthful and started to chew. They were both watching her.

“I came to tell you that,” said Jude. “And, I guess, to say goodbye.”

She stood up, but then remembered the necklace.

“There’s something else,” she began, sliding her hand into the pocket of her jeans to withdraw it.

The door swung open and Jude turned away from them to see Alfie totter in.

She turned back.

Danny very delicately, almost out of sight, was stroking the small of Vin’s back. They both still had their eyes on her.

“Something?” prompted Vin.

“It doesn’t matter,” said Jude.

She suddenly felt she had to get out of there. She left the kitchen and in the hall passed Irina, just in from the cold and wearing pink rubber boots and a shiny yellow bucket hat.

“Jude,” she said.

Jude walked past her.