It takes another five minutes of me trying to explain myself before Olive and Henry appear to have accepted I didn’t withhold the information to purposely hurt their business. I did say I was “testing the market” and might not go at all – which of course is an untruth. And one Leo would be very upset with me for telling. But I need this job until I’m ready to go.

It’s not until lunchtime, when Olive is sitting eating a microwave korma meal, that I get the opportunity to ask the burning question.

‘How did you know my house was on the market anyway?’

‘Oh, your mother-in-law came in to pick up her glasses on Saturday. She mentioned it in passing. She obviously didn’t realise you hadn’t told us.’

My face burns. Barb did know I hadn’t informed the Stewarts. I’d specifically told her. And she happened to come into the shop on a Saturday, a day she knew I didn’t work. And after the whole Maccies debacle on Friday. I attempt to swallow the anger. I ball my fists and take some slow, deep breaths.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Barb has done this on purpose.

Chapter Eighteen

Barb

How could she think I did it on purpose?

My ear is hot where I’ve been holding the phone tight up against it for the last ten minutes while Amber talked at me. She barely took a breath; certainly not long enough for me to get a word in. No chance to even defend myself. I tried to point out that her employers finding out about the move wasn’t in my interest either – if Amber were to be replaced before the house had sold, it could force her to sell to the property developers to speed everything up. But I stuttered and started and stopped, because Amber wouldn’t allow me to complete a single sentence.

Honestly, I’m shaking. Doesn’t she care what I’m going through? She seems to have forgotten I gave up my house. And here she is repaying me by accusing me of ruining things for her. I’ve had to make a cup of tea and sit on the sofa to recover from her outburst. When my ear stops burning and my hands stop trembling, I’m going to call Nick.

Amber seems overly upset about it all. I’d say there’s more to it; there’s something else troubling her. Hopefully, she and Richard have had a lover’s tiff; some disagreement about the future arrangements.

Or maybe she’s found out something that has rung an alarm.

Yes, I bet that’s it. Richard isn’t as wonderful as he’s led her to believe. She’s unearthed a bad side to him.

Wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.

Everyone has a darker side, don’t they? Some are just better at keeping it hidden.