That he had waited almost two days was good, Esther decided, reading the lines over several times and resisting the urge to answer with a ‘yes’ straight away. The restaurant looked fabulous. An invitation to dinner with an admirer. It was the perfect tonic for a person who had been in danger of feeling a bit wobbly and alone.

Esther turned her back on the rainy morning view and headed downstairs to press on with her work. A brochure launching health insurance services tailored entirely for women was not only a worthy cause; it was earning her good money. On her way down, her phone buzzed with two new notifications: one from Chris confirming receipt of her acceptance of his invitation with a link to the dinner booking for the following Tuesday, and one from Sue, comprising a string of startled face emojis and a promise to be round within the hour.

‘It’s because I don’t trust you,’ Esther told Chico, finding the animal crouched and looking tragic by the front door. She went to try and stroke the cat’s head, but it hissed and scuttled off to the kitchen. ‘Thanks for the gratitude,’ she muttered, noticing in the same instant a corner of paper sticking through the jaws of her letter flap. She tugged it free gingerly, her thoughts flying to the torn-off piece of paper now pinned to her shed door. But it was a scrawled note from Carmela’s nephew, which, as she realised at once, had to have been there all night.

Rang the bell a couple of times. I am afraid my aunt passed away in hospital yesterday. Might try and catch you before I leave tomorrow. Thx for trying re Chico, she would have been v grateful. As am I. Marcus.

23

As he’d returned to the station, head bent against the soaking, squally wind, Lucas’s sole desire had been to put as much distance as possible between himself and Charlie Giddings, as well as his own shattered intentions. It didn’t even matter how long it took to get home. There was no one expecting him at his flat or in college, no question of being able to concentrate on any work; and not even the de-stressing possibility of taking exercise, since his calf had tightened worse than ever.