She’d been doing yoga since her teens when she’d briefly lived on a commune and fully embraced the hippie way of life. Yoga helped her to clear her mind and focus on her body. Her body had done her proud. She’d not always looked after it over the years and yet it didn’t seem to hold a grudge. She’d favoured Maharishi yoga before the Beatles made it and its Yogi popular. A phase of being vegetarian and taking up yoga had almost tipped her mother over the edge. They had seemed like such radical life changes at the time and yet now they were commonplace. For many it was part of their journey to spiritual enlightenment; for Maggie it was about breaking away from the confines of her parents and their safe little lives.

Over the years her yoga had evolved as she had pushed herself and explored the limits of her body. Now she had a few solid routines she returned to that kept her mind and body healthy. Although after Saturday’s revelation she had decided to focus on building her strength. Maggie eased herself down into a comfortable sitting position to begin her silent mantra meditation but her mind was distracted.

Maggie loved her home. It was all hers. She didn’t owe anyone a penny, so as long as she paid the bills she had a roof over her head for life. Not something she had always been fortunate enough to enjoy but something she was desperate to maintain. It was far from perfect. This was most notable during the winter months when she was constantly patching the place up and heating it was more than a challenge. She focused her warming efforts on the kitchen, small sitting room and her bedroom. They were the rooms she used, and therefore all that needed to be liveable.

It was an old property but it was a sturdy one. What it lacked in modern conveniences it made up for in character. Its stone floors would chill you to the bone if you were fool enough to walk on them barefoot in winter. But in summer they were a joy to lie on. They had also been a boon when Maggie had gone through the menopause and hot flushes had driven her to lying on the flagstones naked. She only ever met the posh people from the Hall that one time; they never called by again.

Nobody visited now so there was no call for ceremony, not that she’d ever been one for that. But she did miss the parties. Oh the parties she’d held when she was younger and married. She’d been happy and she’d been loved by a good man. She’d lived a life. All very long ago now though. All that was left were shadows of happiness that had lingered briefly before disappearing like smoke in the breeze.