Gina made herself very small on the bench in the hope that if either of them came past she wouldn’t be noticed, but the garden on this side of the hedge remained empty. Eventually she felt it was safe to get up and go back to the house, her mind full of what she had heard.

It wasn’t until she was inside that she remembered she had been about to do something. Now, what was it? Oh, yes, Mrs Thwaite …

‘You get yourself off home, if you want, Mrs Bassett,’ said Gina. ‘I can dish up Mr and Mrs S’s tea.’

‘That’s good of you, Gina. I’ll put it in the bottom oven, and it’ll be ready when they are. Just warm that tureen and ladle it in carefully. Are you sure you can manage the potatoes?’

‘Yes, I’m sure,’ said Gina drily. Taters are about the one thing I can cook!

‘There’s enough for you to have a helping, too, of course.’

‘Thank you, Mrs Bassett.’ Will the woman never stop fussing?

Then Mrs Bassett took an age to change into her outdoor shoes, and then had to look into the oven to be sure all was well, then thought of something to write down on her shopping order before she forgot, then had to check the oven again. Then she wasn’t sure whether one of the lamps on her bicycle was working properly and had to take it apart and put it back together again, although, this being June, it would be light enough for her to cycle all the way to Preston without lamps, Gina thought. All was done at a pace that made Gina gnash her teeth.

She’d no sooner waved Mrs Bassett away and taken the key to Mrs Thwaite’s sitting room from the hook in the kitchen than she heard the sound of car tyres crunching up the drive and round to the garage.

Damn it! And I’m left with their tea to finish getting ready, too.

Mrs Stellion came in through the back door, as she often did when the car was round the back, and Coco rushed in with her, barking and grinning as only a spaniel can.

‘Gina, hello, my dear. I’ve had a lovely time at Mildred Stanwick’s but I’m so tired now. Coco isn’t a bit tired, are you, my darling? Good boy, Coco, good boy. Gina will take you for a nice long walk while Mummy puts her feet up. Have you had a good afternoon, Gina? Did you get everything done?’

‘Not quite everything, Mrs Stellion, but, yes, it’s been a very interesting afternoon. And I’ll get the rest done just as soon as I can.’