Without meeting his eye once, Jess steps away and bumps the little table as she retreats to the door. ‘No. Thank you. I’ll be there next time. Won’t happen again.’

‘You just call. Any time. For anything at all. I’ll always be there for both of you.’

Jess nods an uncomfortable acknowledgement but keeps her face turned to the side when alone with him. ‘Gotta check on Izz, yeah?’ She turns awkwardly and hurries from the room.

14

The Following night.

The sun sets behind Nerthus House as Jess marches towards it, tugging Izzy behind her. Before the stone edifice thrusting at the sky, the small family of two diminishes and grows less distinct within the long shadows. Izzy is additionally dwarfed by a stuffed backpack and carries a panda bear under her arm. Jess is loaded down with plastic carrier bags and a holdall. Amongst the magnificent homes and splendid gardens of Eadric, they could be mistaken for refugees.

As they slow to a dawdle on the front path, Izzy gapes at the daunting, mysterious old house where she’s going to spend the night. ‘I want to stay with Daddy.’

‘Izz! Been through it. Ain’t going through it again. So stop.’

But it doesn’t take Izzy long to enliven with surprise and curiosity before the floral arrangements erupting from the front garden of the vicarage. The prospect of adventure lures her onto the grass and she prances across the front lawn, swinging her toy panda. She sets herself for a handstand but fails. Her attempt clumsy, all pushed-out bum and flailing legs.

Before Jess can rummage out the keys from her bag the front door is yanked open from within. Jess and Izzy jump.

Morag barrels out and thumps into the porch, glaring at the relief. Eyeing the little girl with specific displeasure, she bites down on launching into a tirade. Izzy responds with a serious expression and thrusts out her panda, its limbs flopping. ‘This is Nurse Bamboo. She looks after old people.’

Jess pushes a hand down through the air to calm her daughter. ‘Not now, love.’

After raising an eyebrow at Izzy’s declaration of intent, Morag returns her glare to the girl’s mother. But Jess holds her head high. ‘Couldn’t get childcare. It’s just for the night.’ She turns to Izzy and motions for her to stay put on the lawn, then ushers Morag to a place on the path where they can stand out of earshot. Accepting the exclusion, Izzy happily flies her panda round the front garden of the vicarage. ‘Bamboo’s bringing in the medicine!’

Morag’s angry stare bores into Jess. ‘Blossom ain’t slept a wink last night. Or moved, or said nothing all day. Don’t know what you done to her yesterday. And your kid ain’t covered by company insurance. Blossom don’t want her mooching froo her fings neither.’

‘She won’t. She knows—’