‘Not as yet,’ she admitted, seeing the noisy pub suddenly through the eyes of someone who found busy places threatening, even if Rea would know half the people there. She remembered how she’d felt the first time she’d visited The Angel, conspicuous and a subject for gossip. Perhaps Rea felt like that all the time. ‘I’ve been reading about supporting someone with agoraphobia but it’s not easy. There’s no “cookie-cutter” sufferer so the advice is all about listening and trying to understand. Learning her triggers.’ She glanced at Grady, whose dark eyes were fixed on her as he listened. ‘I’ve offered to go with her somewhere but she hasn’t taken me up on it so I’m waiting for my moment to invite her somewhere specific, instead of leaving the ball in her court. It doesn’t have to be a social situation like this. It could just be a walk.’

She lifted her glass to sip her drink, enjoying the fizz of the tonic and the smooth kiss of the gin. ‘She is actually showing a will to change. I want to encourage that.’ She didn’t give him an account of Rea’s distress. That had been a private moment between sisters. Laurel was so proud of Rea for the steps she’d already taken and Daisy had shed tears of hope. The psychological therapies service had acknowledged Rea’s self-referral and she’d attended one webinar, which was available online without waiting to be accepted for a counselling programme. She’d chosen to participate in the webinar alone and said it had given her a lot to think about and was ‘OK’ and ‘interesting’.

He nodded. Then, hesitantly, he said, ‘Family support’s important. Mac always knew I was on his side, even in his turbulent teen years.’

‘I know,’ Laurel said stiffly.

He winced. ‘Sorry, that sounded as if I wouldn’t have supported you over the bullying …’ He halted, plainly realising his statements to be contradictory.

She put down her glass. ‘You see why I never could have told you? You can’t be on both sides in a conflict. I’m just surprised that Mac needed support. I never thought of him as leaning on you. He was always hanging around with Jonny and Ruben.’

He shrugged. ‘But I’m his brother. Jonny and Ruben went off to uni and never came back to live here.’ Grady regarded her meditatively. Then he dropped his voice and leaned closer. Laurel could smell his shampoo. ‘Even I didn’t fully understand that Mac was ninety per cent bravado. Dad really put pressure on him.’