Although on the whole I agree, I don’t say so. Barb has been good to us; it would be disrespectful to bad-mouth her to Davina. My silence doesn’t deter her, though, and she continues to say how she found Barb “edgy and abrupt” as she wanders around my kitchen, taking everything in. I was right to think she’d have been nosing in the cupboards and drawers if she’d been here for the open-house event. Even with me here, I’m half expecting her to rifle through my fridge or something.

‘Barb can come across a bit like that,’ I say. ‘But she’s a good sort, really.’

‘Hmmm …’ Davina mumbles before walking to the back door and pulling down the handle. If Davina was doing this when she came here before, it’s no wonder Barb was edgy. I wouldn’t blame her for one minute. Nor for never inviting her again. It does strike me a little odd, though, that Barb didn’t mention this when I was speaking about Davina before. I’d often brought up my “nosy neighbour, Davina” to Barb in conversation, but she hadn’t once remarked she even knew who I was talking about.

‘Lovely garden – so long,’ Davina is saying now. I’m so keyed up I haven’t even made the tea yet.

‘Yes, it is,’ I say absently as I pour the hot water over the teabags. I’m splashing it everywhere, trying to do it quickly so I can keep my eyes on Davina.

‘That’s why the developers want it, I suppose.’

I mop up the spilled water and take the mugs to the table in the corner of the kitchen and sit down, hoping Davina will follow suit.

‘I guess so. The initial proposal was to purchase just part of the garden – and to be honest, we don’t really use that end; we never have. Apart from the boys’ trampoline being there – and that’s to keep them relatively out of earshot of the neighbours. We wouldn’t miss it – but it was the principle. Then, of course, they began trying to buy the properties. The knowledge that once they’ve got a bit of the land, then the entire house, they’d likely push the boundary and demolish the house to make way for their project was too much. The villagers don’t want a huge construction site here. You’re lucky you live on the opposite side of the road, though. Even if it did go ahead, at least you wouldn’t see it. Well, not until they knock the houses down …’

‘It’ll still affect me, as well you know. All that noise when they begin building … then whatever comes after.’

‘Well, let’s hope it doesn’t ever come to it.’