‘I didn’t mean to hurt Seth, but . . .’ Naomi’s gaze became distant as she revisited the past. ‘It was all on the surface. Ed doesn’t have a six-pack, but he makes me laugh. When we’re together, he listens . . . really listens to me.’

‘So, you dumped Seth because he was shallow?’ Connie said between mouthfuls. ‘Because he never came across like that.’

Naomi sighed. She wanted to tell her sister that if Seth was such a catch, she should date him herself. ‘You’ll know it when you find it,’ she eventually said. ‘That one person you can’t imagine living without. And it’s nothing to do with success or money. I mean . . .’ she corrected herself. ‘In the beginning it was. I fangirled him a bit. I blushed every time we met. I think he liked that. There was a spark between us.’

‘But he was married . . .’

‘To a woman who was completely unhinged. She was hell to live with. They were separated long before I got involved.’ Naomi stirred some cream into her coffee, watching her sister mull things over as she ate. Connie was a naturally argumentative person, which was why her visits were exhausting as Naomi constantly had to defend herself.

‘Sorry,’ Connie replied. ‘You’re right. You know how judgy I get. I’m working on it, honest.’ She drove her fork into a piece of pancake and held it aloft. ‘And anyone who can teach you how to make pancakes this good must be a diamond!’

‘He is.’ Naomi flashed her a smile. ‘And we should put our old arguments to bed. I’m happy. This is a new start for me. And I want you to be involved.’

‘You’ve got me,’ Connie said. ‘I’ll always be here for you.’ Her words invoked warmth. ‘Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask. Did you walk past my door last night?’

Naomi looked at her quizzically. ‘No, I slept like a log.’

‘Then you must have been sleepwalking,’ Connie laughed. ‘The floorboards were creaking. I heard you stop outside my door but you didn’t come in.’

Naomi looked at her sister, mystified. ‘Connie, honestly, I didn’t step foot outside my door. There’s an en suite in my room. I didn’t need to.’

A frown deepened on Connie’s face. ‘Then who was it?’

‘Morgan, maybe?’

Connie shook her head. ‘It wasn’t. She was in the kitchen making hot chocolate. I heard her close the microwave door just as I came out. She could never have got from my door to the kitchen that quick.’

An uneasy silence fell.

‘Didn’t you hear anything?’ Connie turned to her sister and gave her a steely glare.

‘Just the pipes rattling and the storm gusting outside,’ Naomi replied. ‘Nothing that can’t be explained away. Maybe it was the house settling. It does that. Creaks like hell.’