‘Do you like cycling? I go for a cycle in the countryside and have a pub lunch now and again. I’ve got a spare lady’s bike in my garage if you fancy an outing sometime.’

‘That would be nice. I haven’t been on a bike since I was a youngster,’ Jane said.

The waitress served their chateaubriand and the sommelier brought over the wine and poured two glasses. He put the bottle down on the table.

‘The maître d’ said the wine is with compliments of the house, Mr Durham.’

Nick smiled. ‘Please thank him for me. It’s very much appreciated.’

Jane cut into her steak. ‘It’s the best I’ve ever tasted. It literally melts in your mouth,’ she said.

‘Try a bit of the red wine sauce,’ Nick said.

Jane poured a small bit on the side of her plate and dipped a piece of steak in it. Her face lit up as she ate it. ‘I think I’ve just died and gone to heaven,’ she said, enjoying the dark smokiness, the sweetness, and the acidity from the wine. She poured some more on her plate and realised what she’d just said. ‘I’m sorry, that was a thoughtless remark.’

He shook his head. ‘Don’t be silly. You’re enjoying yourself and that’s what matters to me. Tell me the layout of your house so I’ve got an idea of it before I come round tomorrow.’

‘It’s pretty straightforward, really. You’ve seen the lounge, and there’s a door leading to the dining room and the kitchen. There’s also a door from the kitchen into the hallway. Upstairs, there’s the master bedroom at the front, small double at the back, and a bathroom at the top of the stairs.’

Nick nodded, picturing the layout in his head. ‘As an off-the-cuff suggestion, I’d remove the wall between the living and dining rooms to open it up and give you a bit more space.’

‘Would that be expensive?’

‘Not really. You’d need to put a up a lintel to support the load above it if you take out the wall. You could use a wooden lintel which is cheaper than a steel one. Once that’s done, it’s just a case of making good with plaster and paint or wallpaper.’

‘Sounds like a good idea,’ Jane said, trying to imagine it.

‘I’d need to see your kitchen before coming up with any ideas about that. But if you go open plan, you can get rid of the door to the kitchen in the hallway. Then there would be enough room to make a recess in the kitchen, into which you could fit a large fridge freezer with space for a wine rack above. It’d be really cheap and easy to do with some plasterboard.’

‘That’s a brilliant idea.’