She also knows that they’ll both be glad to see the back of her. And not only because her behaviour infuriates them and causes so much tension. With her gone they won’t have to take her into consideration when it comes to selling the farm. It’ll make it easier for them to decide where to move to. And she’s in no doubt that once they shed the burden of their troublesome daughter their own relationship will improve.

Charlotte lifts her bag and looks around her bedroom, knowing she’s not going to miss it. She’s stayed for this long because deep down she feared she could never hack it by herself. But not anymore. Now she’s ready to face the big bad world. She’ll be back, of course, but only for the occasional overnight stay before the farm is sold.

According to her dad, that will probably happen before the end of the year. He can’t afford to keep it going much longer and that’s partly his own bloody fault because of the gambling.

Her mum will be pleased, though. She’s never liked living here alongside the ghosts the silly woman believes haunt the place.

Charlotte shakes her head and smiles to herself as she heads for the door. Her parents are waiting for her downstairs and she’s hoping they won’t make a big deal of her departure.

If they’re expecting her to shed a tear, they’re going to be sorely disappointed.

For Robert Bateman it’s the end of one of the worst weeks of his life. As he waits for Charlotte to come down the stairs, he swallows another shot of whisky.

He’s sitting on the sofa feeling flat, unsettled, disconnected. And once Charlotte has left, he intends to drink himself into a stupor. At least then he’ll be able to stop dwelling on how miserable he is.

Things have been bad for a long time now, but the events of this week have pushed his anxiety to a new level.

First, he was forced to sack that scumbag Kenneth O’Connor for stealing from them for who knows how long.

And then the true scale of his financial problems was laid bare by their financial adviser who made it clear that the farm would have to go.

Now there’s Charlotte’s departure, which fills him with dread. He can’t bear to think what will become of her when she’s shacked up with that drug-addled delinquent, Neil Savage.

They’ve tried to talk her out of moving in with him but without success. It’s a bad move on her part, but there’s nothing they can do to stop it happening.

He pushes down the sadness that is threatening to overwhelm him and gulps back some more of his drink.