‘Yes,’ Rachel said. The woman’s accent held a Stateside twang and suddenly she knew exactly who this was. ‘Yes, I am.’

The woman smiled nervously and stuck out a hand. ‘Hi, Rachel. I’m Trudy. Trudy Goodwin.’

‘Trudy,’ Rachel said, completely blindsided. ‘But I didn’t – you’re here?’ She took the woman’s hand. ‘I’m sorry – welcome! I just didn’t expect – Alan didn’t say—’

Trudy laughed, a merry, tinkling sound still edged with nerves. ‘It’s fine. I’m sorry, I probably should have called ahead. I know this is a lot, for me to suddenly turn up like this. But honestly, I didn’t know I was coming myself until I booked the ticket. I just… I had to.’ She looked around. ‘And it’s as amazing as I thought it would be.’

Rachel looked at Gilly, who was staring at the woman with an expression somewhere between suspicion and hostility. ‘Trudy, this is Gilly. She’s been helping me out here for the last couple of months.’

‘Oh!’ Trudy said, with another, wider smile, and stuck her hand out. ‘Alan told me about you, Gilly. He said you were doing a fantastic job. Thank you.’

Gilly shook Trudy’s hand and, to Rachel’s relief, her face softened.

‘And this is Ron Forrester,’ Rachel said. ‘He was a great friend of…’ She searched for the right term and couldn’t find it. ‘Cullen’s. I’m sorry, I’ve just realized I don’t actually know what relation Cullen was to you.’

‘To be honest, I’m not sure either,’ Trudy confided, reaching out a hand for Ron to shake, too. ‘I think it’s something about removed cousins, but I couldn’t tell you by how many. I’ve been saying “distant uncle” to make things simpler. It’s lovely to meet you, Ron. If you’ve got time, I’d love to hear more about Cullen. I really wish I had known him before he passed.’

Ron beamed. ‘I’d love to. How about a coffee and a chinwag right now?’

Trudy smiled, glancing at Rachel. ‘Maybe in a little while? I’d like to talk to Rachel about something for a few minutes first, if that’s all right?’

‘Of course! You need the guided tour,’ Ron agreed. ‘You go, Rachel. Gilly and I can hold the fort.’

‘Really?’ Rachel said.

‘Sure!’ Gilly said. ‘Ron’s spent enough time here scoffing biscuits and chugging coffee. It’s about time he earned his keep.’

Rachel and Trudy left the pair’s good-natured bickering behind them and did a circuit of the lower level before climbing the stairs to the mezzanine.

‘It’s so beautiful,’ Trudy sighed wistfully. ‘I knew it would be. I mean yes, I’d seen photographs, but that’s not the same, is it?’

Rachel smiled. ‘I’m glad you got to see it in person at least once. It would have been such a shame if you hadn’t.’

‘That’s the conclusion I reached,’ Trudy agreed. ‘I’ll now be living on ramen for Lord knows how long until the money from the sale comes through, but it’s already worth it – and I haven’t even seen upstairs yet.’ She looked at Rachel. ‘Would you let me see it? Upstairs? I know it’s where you live and I don’t want to intrude at all, but—’