‘Maybe you shouldn’t go into work tomorrow, Chloe,’ he says. ‘It might be better to get a bit of rest instead.’

‘I’ll be fine,’ she says.

‘Well, at the very least Patrick will run you into town, won’t you, Pat?’ Maureen says.

‘Honestly, I’m—’ Chloe starts.

But Patrick nods between mouthfuls. ‘Sure,’ he says. ‘I have some business in town anyway.’

‘What’s that then, Pat?’ Maureen asks.

Patrick shovels another mouthful of mashed potato onto his fork. ‘Just some banking, love,’ he says, ‘nothing interesting.’

Maureen shrugs at Chloe. ‘I leave all that to him.’

Patrick doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave the table. In fact, when he finishes, he puts his plate in the sink and sits back down with them.

‘They say it’s warming up next week,’ Patrick tells them both. ‘Sixteen and sunny Tuesday, Wednesday.’

‘That’ll be nice, could do with a bit of sunshine, couldn’t we?’ Maureen says.

‘We could indeed, I’d like to get out in the garden if I can.’

Maureen sounds disappointed. ‘Oh, I was hoping we might have a ride out to the coast on the first nice day.’

‘Still be a bit nippy there, Mo.’

‘You’re probably right,’ she says. ‘Ooh, Chloe, I was meaning to ask, what was the name of your grandmother?’

Chloe is about to put a forkful of food in her mouth but it stops halfway. She doesn’t answer, just looks at Patrick. He registers the surprise on her face and sits up a little in his seat.

‘It’s just,’ Maureen continues, taking another mouthful of mashed potatoes, ‘I was telling Josie that she lived in Dogsthorpe too and we were wondering if we might know her. Imagine that?’

Patrick shuffles closer to the table, not taking his eyes off her for a second.

Chloe puts the food in her mouth. She chews it, buying herself time before she can answer. Should she tell the truth? Make something up? What would be better? The two of them stare at her across the table. She coughs a little. And winces inwardly before she speaks. Her voice is small, unsure.

‘Grace,’ Chloe says, ‘Grace Hudson.’

‘Sorry? Hudson did you say?’ Maureen asks.

She nods slowly and Maureen looks up to the kitchen ceiling. Patrick’s eyes remain stuck fast on Chloe. Her appetite is gone but she looks down at her plate to shovel more food onto her fork.

‘Hudson,’ Maureen says. ‘No, can’t say I know a Hudson. What about you, Pat?’

He looks up like Maureen had a moment ago, then shakes his head.

‘No, Mo, can’t say I know anyone with that surname.’

His eyes return to Chloe.

Maureen shrugs into the space around the dining table. ‘I’ll tell Josie,’ she says. ‘She might know.’ Then she carries on eating.