And then there was Leah. Grace found herself worried about her, too. They had dumped the horrible truth on her and then just walked away, leaving her to deal with the emotional fallout alone. With the benefit of a little distance between her and the situation, this now seemed to Grace like a particularly rash thing to have done. She had been worried about Hector and put his needs front and centre, but now she couldn’t help but remember the way that Melissa had reacted after learning how she had been duped by Charles. Would her daughter follow a similar path? Grace couldn’t bear the idea of that on her conscience. Leah was strong – Grace knew that from her Mrs Newman days – but even the strong could be floored by something like this.

‘Do you think Leah will be all right?’ she asked Clio as they walked across the gravel towards the front door of the Hall.

Clio shrugged. ‘I don’t know for certain,’ she said, ‘but I think so. Leah’s so tough. She just takes things in her stride. She’s achieved so much on her own, you know, Mum. Her kids are fantastic and she doesn’t let anything get her down. She just gets on with it. Honestly, she’s been amazing with me.’ Clio was smiling and shaking her head as if she didn’t quite believe what it was that she was saying. ‘I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know how you’d react, but she got me a job. It’s in a pub – the one where her mum worked, actually. I thought I’d make a terrible barmaid. I mean, me! Behind a bar!! Can you imagine? But it turns out I’m actually quite good. And it was Leah that had faith in me. She knew I could do it. And she was right.’

Grace looked at her daughter in astonishment, her mouth dropping open. ‘My darling,’ she said, a proud smile forming on her lips. ‘You never fail to surprise me. Well done you. Does Hector know?’

‘God, no! Can you imagine? Actually, Mum, we are going to have to do something about him. We can’t let him sell the house.’

‘It’s not his to sell,’ replied Grace. ‘The house belonged to your father, and according to his will all his assets passed to me. But I think the bigger issue will be getting him to deal with what he’s just learned. You’ve seen how he’s coping with your father’s death.’

‘Or not coping.’

‘Well, precisely,’ said Grace. ‘He totally idolised your father. More fool him, but there you have it. It was hard enough having Charles taken from us so suddenly, without the chance to say goodbye, but now there’s this new thing as well. I think it’s going to be very difficult for him.’