She’d fallen asleep. How embarrassing. What must Portia think of her? Allison would explain she hadn’t slept well recently so it was understandable. She was still so tired her eyelids felt heavy, sticky. And she ached. No, that wasn’t quite the right word; she didn’t ache – she hurt. In places she shouldn’t be hurting. Fear kept her eyes shut but her hand moved, slowly, seeking knowledge through her fingertips. What she discovered terrified her.

She was naked.

54

Jo expected Allison to return during the night. Several times, she woke, shaking off disorientation and swinging her feet from the bed to walk across the landing, only to stare into the empty room and swear loudly.

Morning arrived too early, sparrows erupting in a series of noisy squeaks in the shrubbery outside. She grabbed her phone, groaning to see it was only five. Bloody birds. Too early to be awake, she was too sleepy to attempt to solve the mystery of Allison’s whereabouts. Wherever it was, it didn’t look as if she’d be home that morning. No point in wasting her bed.

A minute later, Jo was curled up in a significantly more comfortable bed. There were still birds twittering outside but the sound was more muted. Only the odd car passed, the sound a low grumble. For someone used to the constant growl of traffic outside, the sound of others living too closely in badly insulated apartments, the peace here was heavenly. A short while later, she fell into a deep sleep.

It was almost nine before she woke again, stretching and yawning. Allison could stay away for as long as she liked if it meant Jo could sleep in her room.

She liked the en suite too, especially the range of shower gels more expensive than she’d ever used. After a long shower, doused in layers of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, she wrapped a soft bath sheet around herself and headed downstairs for breakfast.

There was coffee, but no cereal and she’d used the last of the bread the previous day. Did Allison live on bloody cheese and wine? Jo would have her coffee, get dressed and do some shopping. Bread and milk. There was plenty of food in the freezer for dinner, plenty of wine in the rack. When Allison returned, Jo would ask her for her credit card and stock up the cupboards. Perhaps she should have explained that she expected bed and board till the estate was settled.

She took her coffee into the living room and sat on the sofa, feeling strangely content. This was the life she should have been living, perhaps the life she would have lived if not for Allison.

It wasn’t too late.