‘I’ve got the two best kids in the world,’ Suzie said, smiling.

‘Tell me about them.’

‘Well, they’re in their twenties now. Rachel is twenty-two, lives in Newcastle with her girlfriend. And Amy is twenty-five, married, has a kid of her own.’

‘You’re a grandmother!’

‘I am,’ Suzie said proudly.

‘How wonderful. Do you have a partner?’

‘Ha!’ Suzie said. ‘There used to be. But he left me after Rachel was born.’

‘After your second was born?’

‘The same month. He said it was too much for him.’

‘You raised your two on your own?’

‘I did.’

‘That must have been tough. What about other family? Does your mum live nearby?’

‘My parents died when I was small. Like Iqbal. We had that in common.’

‘I’m so sorry to hear that. What about cousins or aunts or uncles?’

Suzie took a sip of Scotch before replying.

‘No. No family to speak of. This really is a horrible drink,’ she said to Judith with a smile that Becks could see was a touch forced.

‘It’s the nectar of the gods,’ Judith said before returning her attention to her tablet.

‘Haven’t you got any wine?’

‘Sorry, I can’t have wine in the house.’

‘Why’s that?’

‘If I do, I drink it.’

Suzie and Becks shared a glance as they looked over at the all but empty decanter of whisky. If this was how Judith downed whisky, what on earth did she do to wine?

‘Then what about you, Judith?’ Becks asked, her cheeks radiating a warm glow from the Scotch. ‘Do you have any kids?’

‘Oh no, I wasn’t so blessed.’

‘But you’re married?’

‘I’m sorry?’

‘If it’s not rude to ask. I see you’ve got a wedding ring.’

Becks indicated the gold band on the ring finger of Judith’s left hand.

‘You’re very observant.’

‘Sorry. Occupational hazard. When you’re the vicar’s wife, you notice things like wedding rings.’

‘If you must know, my husband died,’ Judith said.

‘He did?’

‘My lovely Philippos. He was Greek. Philippos Demetriou. I fell in love with his name before I’d even met him. But he died in a boating accident. In Corfu.’

‘I’m so sorry. When did this happen?’

‘I was twenty-seven. Now, I think I’ve found something rather interesting,’ Judith said, wanting to move the conversation on.

‘Hold on,’ Suzie said. ‘You were widowed when you were twenty-seven? Has there been anyone else since then?’

‘Why would there be? Most men you meet don’t really pass muster, do they?’

‘I can drink to that,’ Suzie said quietly, or at least Judith presumed it had been Suzie who’d spoken, but she realised that Suzie’s lips hadn’t moved. She and Suzie looked over and they saw that Becks was raising her whisky glass in a quiet toast before she downed the remainder of her drink.