‘Oh yes.’ Willow smiled back. She had the most perfect hair, I noted, smooth and poker straight. ‘It’s fine now. He’s fine.’

‘Good. And you – all ready for school? Looking forward to it?’

Sinatra sung about it being his way as a look crossed the girl’s face.

‘Oh yes,’ Willow repeated, but she dipped her eyes this time.

‘Don’t worry, lovie.’ I felt a twinge of sympathy. ‘They always say a change is as good as a rest. And they’re not that bad, the Northgate lot.’

She looked at me blankly, and the first time I’d ever seen her came to mind: in her hallway at that dreadful supper, coming home from a (supposed) rehearsal, late.

She had fathoms I had no idea of, this girl, that much was clear.

‘Well, I’d better get on.’ I waved my paintbrush cheerfully as Frank reached his climax. ‘I’ll tell Zach you called.’

After she’d gone, I leant over the walkway wall. The late-afternoon sun was bright but still. I recognised a figure in his Lycra running across the square.

Marcus. And, injured shoulder or not, he displayed no obvious signs of trauma from here.

I was glad he couldn’t see me; I felt wary of the Jacksons now, of all of them.

I would never have guessed my worst trouble would come from different quarters.

Melissa

MONDAY 4 SEPTEMBER[/CS]

On the first morning of term, Rex let slip, portentously, that Nella had asked for a late start for Willow.

‘The Head’s told the Jacksons she needs to start with the others, to fit in.’

‘Of course.’ Distracted by the excitement of soon having the house to myself again, I whisked an iron over Cecilia’s school skirt, it having been found at midnight under her bed, after a tearful meltdown, the gist of which seemed to be a dire hatred of returning to school.

I was particularly eager not to have Rex wandering round in his pants, finding dust I’d not found first, trying to whip me up to the bedroom – or, worse still, over the back of the sofa. My days of unbridled passion with him were definitely in the past; I just wasn’t sure he’d got the memo.

Probably because I hadn’t (dared) give it to him yet.

‘Rexie.’

‘Mmm?’ He was straightening his tie in the mirror.

‘D’you know why exactly Willow’s moving to Northgate?’

‘Wasn’t doing well enough at the posh place, given the money they were paying.’

I could tell he was lying though, as the tips of his ears turned red.

‘But they couldn’t buy their way out of starting on time.’ He admired his reflection. ‘We want to keep the Jacksons happy, but money can’t buy everything, they’ll soon find.’

But actually, it pretty much could.

‘Now, you be extra nice to Willow Jackson,’ Rex instructed Ceci when she appeared. ‘The sports hall’s in dire straits and they might donate.’

‘Can you plait my hair, Mel?’ Ignoring her father, Ceci presented some hairbands and her back to me.