My mother seized the dangling reins of conversation. After all it was her house and the choice of topic should lie with her.

‘I have my doubts about Cynthia,’ she said. ‘I don’t trust her or her dressmaker to get the children’s clothes right.’

She had posted off a length of pale blue silk for Jennifer’s dress, and another of velvet in the same shade for Christopher’s pageboy suit. She had enclosed patterns and detailed instructions, and while she hoped, for the sake of appearance at the wedding, that the children’s clothes would be properly cut and fitted, she also hoped that between them Cynthia and her dressmaker would have made a pig’s ear of the business.

‘Let’s go and see,’ said Lili. ‘We can drive down and have lunch in Winchester and be back by dinner time.’

My mother was startled at this suggestion. I had been there once or twice but she had never set foot in my father’s new home.

‘I don’t know...’ she said.

‘I’m dying to see what Derek’s landed himself with,’ said Lili.

‘You’ll see them at the wedding,’ said my mother.

‘It’s not the same,’ said Lili. ‘I want to see their little nest.’

‘Well, I can suggest it to Cynthia,’ said my mother. ‘But I don’t know what she’ll say.’

We all knew it didn’t matter what Cynthia said. If my mother decided to go, she would. And if she didn’t, she wouldn’t.

‘Ring her now,’ said Lili.

We listened to my mother talking to her successor, and I have never heard such an example of civilization and restraint. Her resentment was buried deep. Lili was taken by a fit of mirth and lay with a cushion pressed to her nose. Above it her eyes glittered.

‘I don’t know why you’re laughing,’ said my mother coldly as she put down the phone.

‘I’m not,’ said Lili, sitting up and straightening her skirt.

‘Yes, you are,’ said my mother, and briefly she smiled too because in some ways she was no fool.

‘We’ll go on Thursday,’ she added. ‘And Cynthia says she’ll give us a snack lunch.’

‘Did she sound surprised?’ asked Lili, and my mother said that, yes, she did rather. She smiled again.

‘I don’t have to come, do I?’ I said.

‘No, of course not,’ said my mother, and now she sounded surprised. I understood that this was my mother’s wedding, and although I was necessary to it I was expected to do nothing but be there and appear contented.

I, in my turn, was surprised to find how much I was looking forward to a day on my own, and mildly surprised at my mother’s willingness to leave me to it.

‘You can go and see Mrs M,’ said my mother and I wondered whether her sense of grievance towards me was inclining her to spite.