‘I’ve no idea. You’ll have to ask her. But I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong idea. Even if Liz was friendly with Stefan, it’s not like she ever bought anything from him. I mean, look at this place. We don’t have the cash for fine art.’

As he said this, Danny nodded at the tired buildings of the rowing centre.

‘Yes, I was wondering about that,’ Judith said. ‘Where is everyone? With it being the summer holidays, I’d have thought you’d have kids galore out on the river in your canoes.’

Danny sighed. ‘We’re still trying to get this place back on track after the floods.’

Judith knew the Thames had broken its banks a number of times through the winter. As her garden was sloped, her house hadn’t been threatened, but there’d been plenty of days when her boathouse and garden had flooded.

‘All of this was underwater,’ Danny said, indicating the buildings of the rowing centre. ‘And then the place was a mudbath once the waters receded. It was the toughest winter we’ve had in decades. We put out a call to the local community to help clear up. And people came, but there was only so much they could do. It’s been about as tough a time as we’ve ever had. And we’ve had tough times.’

‘You frequently get flooded?’

‘Liz’s dad used to say, when he first built this place, they weren’t flooded one year in ten. Now it seems to happen every year.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that.’

‘Our facilities still aren’t back up to what they should be, so we’re limited to the number of people we can have on site on any given day. And there’s only Liz and me here. The plan was to fix things over the summer, hope we survive another winter, and then hit the ground running next spring.’

‘That sounds tough,’ Suzie said, and Judith could see that there was something of a bond between her and Danny. They both knew what it was like to have to work hard.

‘Liz is a good Christian. Goes to church every Sunday. Which is more than I do. But what we’ve had to put up with here has tested even her. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got to get these canoes to Nottingham tonight for training.’

‘Training?’ Judith said, unable to stop herself from glancing at Danny’s portly frame.

Danny laughed.

‘Not me. The Youth GB squad. I coach them. They’re based in Nottingham.’

‘You train the GB team?’ Suzie said, impressed.

‘It’s the youth team, and there are a few coaches, but yes, I’m involved.’

‘Then we’ll take up no more of your time,’ Judith said. ‘Thank you so much for talking to us.’