Nick directed Jane to Locksbottom, which was only four miles away. She wished it had been a longer journey as driving the Jaguar was such a thrill. As she drove into the car park, Jane thought the large mock Tudor building in front of her was someone’s house, until she noticed FANTAIL written above the entrance doors in large black lettering on a white background.

‘Thanks for letting me drive your car. I felt like I was in a James Bond film,’ she said with a beaming smile.

‘You’re a good driver,’ he said.

‘I had to pass a five-week course before I could drive a police car,’ she told him.

‘Well, they obviously taught you well. The pub’s just over the road . . . or we can go straight to the restaurant.’

‘A drink in the pub would be nice,’ Jane said.

They crossed the road to the pub, The Olde White Lion.

Jane thought the interior had a warm, welcoming feel about it, with its old oak beams and a roaring log fire. There was a dancing area and stage at the back where a band was setting up its equipment.

‘What can I get you, Nick?’ the buxom middle-aged lady behind the bar asked him. He looked at Jane.

‘G and T with ice and lemon, please.’

‘Your usual, Nick?’

‘Yes please, Sandra.’

‘Bottle of Grolsch lager and one G and T with all the trimmings coming up,’ she said. They sat down at the bar.

‘I take it you’ve been here before?’ Jane whispered to him.

‘It’s my local. Sandra’s the landlady.’

‘You should have said. I’d I have driven over here to save you picking me up.’

‘You’re only down the road, so it wasn’t out my way. Are you OK getting a taxi home if I have a drink?’

‘Of course, as long as you let me pay for it,’ she replied, suspecting he would offer to.

Sandra brought them their drinks and they clinked glasses.

‘You’ve got a nice house,’ Nick said.

Jane sighed. ‘It needs a lot of work doing on it, which I can’t afford at the moment.’

‘You don’t need to spend a fortune to make a house look nice. It all depends on what you want and how you do it.’

‘To be honest, I haven’t a clue about what to do with it,’ Jane admitted.

‘I could draw up some different plans for you. Let me have a look round, give you a few ideas and see what you think. I can get materials for half the price that some traders would charge you.’

‘Are you sure? I’d pay you, of course.’

‘We can discuss that later. I could have a look tomorrow if you like.’

Jane remembered Sam Pullen was picking her up at midday.

‘I’m out for lunch tomorrow, I’m afraid.’

‘Oh, right. Well, maybe some other time then,’ he said.