Halfway through a drone by Valerie, head of volunteers, about the recent volunteers’ training day, Meredith’s phone rang in her bag. Everyone turned to glare as she fished it out, apologising, and went to kill the call. But then she saw that it was Paula again. She stood up and excused herself, mouthing, I have to take this, sorry. The Earl frowned at her – mobile phones turned on during meetings were one of his many bête-noires – but she barely noticed. Why would Paula ring again, half an hour after they last spoke, unless there was bad news?

What was she thinking? She knew there was bad news. It was Paula who didn’t … yet.

‘Paula! Is he home?’

Paula was crying so much she couldn’t speak.

‘What’s happened? Is he hurt?’

Meredith thought she was going to throw up. She walked to the top of the stairs and forced herself to stare out of the window at the sunlit treetops, trying to ground herself. The morning sun felt warm on her face through the glass.

So this was how lives unravelled.

‘Nothing,’ Paula said eventually, and Meredith managed to breathe again.

‘Nothing?’

‘No news. I’ve reported it to the police, and they’re sending someone over. But I know something terrible’s happened. He’s never done this before; he just wouldn’t. Even if he was mad at me for something, he’d let Jackson know he was OK – and he hasn’t. Meredith…’

‘Yes?’

‘Will you come round later? I really don’t want to be on my own.’

Meredith closed her eyes, sunlight laser-dappling her eyelids, a dozen fabricated excuses flitting through her mind. The thought of witnessing Paula’s agony was intolerable.

‘I’ll see if I can get away a bit early. We’re still in the meeting at the moment, and Hester has a dentist’s appointment this afternoon, so I’ll have to cover the till until she gets back. But I’ll come after that, at about fourish, OK? Hang in there and let me know if there’s any news.’

She went back into the meeting, not realising how much her stricken expression was giving away until Valerie stopped talking and everyone swivelled to face her.

‘Meredith?’ Ceri said with alarm. ‘What’s the matter?’

Meredith sat heavily back in her seat. ‘Hopefully nothing … but that was Paula. She’s really worried because Ralph didn’t come home last night. She’s already told the police. It’s so out of character for him.’

The Earl peered over his smeary half-moon glasses, worn on a chain round his neck. He had quite a soft spot for Paula, and Meredith and she used to giggle that if she, Paula, played her cards right, she could one day be the second Countess Winnet.

It didn’t seem so amusing now.