She’d examined that whole situation from every perspective, trying to make sense of what had happened. It could have been his ex, but after what he’d said Penny was sure he’d never get back with her. Had he been dating somebody else at the same time he’d been dating her? Clementine said she just couldn’t believe it. Sharon said at least they’d found out he was an arse sooner rather than later. Stuart said he’d seen nothing, but he did have a vague recollection of a woman with big curly hair asking after Francesco once, which he’d thought was odd because how had she known Francesco had been spending time at Bridges? Not that it mattered anymore. Penny had a job to do: get The Red Panda in tip-top shape, and in only six more months, once Uncle David was fully better, she could be back at home. She didn’t hate having to be there, but she knew it wasn’t the place for her. London was her heart and soul’s true home.

Uncle David had come to visit once, but otherwise he’d stayed at Eric’s sister’s second home on the Cornish coast to convalesce. He was still mildly grey in complexion, even months after his heart attack, and Penny had tried to suggest to Eric that maybe he was depressed. Penny had experienced it herself – the feeling of total helplessness when the body betrays, when it feels so out of your control to do anything other than rest, and go slow, and accept the help of everyone around you. Penny knew there was no way he could have continued to work. There was no way this could have played out any differently. She was always going to end up here, so she just had to make the best of it. She kept her head down, all of her attentions on the pub, and pressed on.

Penny’s favourite person at The Red Panda, even considering the strong contenders of second-in-command Manuela and efficient Agnieszka, was her old friend Charlie.