‘That’s how friendships start,’ I said. ‘You don’t just make new friends when you’re young, you know? You go on finding people that you have things in common with even when you’re grown up. In fact, it’s even more special when it happens then, because you aren’t expecting it. I really like Clio and I hope she likes me too.’

As I said this I realised that it was very important to me that Clio liked me.

‘She definitely does, Mum,’ confirmed Poppy. ‘I could tell. You’re just like me and my friends when you’re together. You’ll be finishing each other’s sentences next. You even look a bit alike.’

‘No need to go that far!’ I said. ‘Shall we get some chips on the way home? I can’t be bothered to cook.’

When Poppy and Noah had gone upstairs and I was on my own again, I ran over the day in my head. I couldn’t imagine what it must be like to actually live in a place like Hartsford Hall. I wasn’t certain I liked the idea of people being around all the time, either. I mean, having servants that lived in the house sounded like fun to start with, but the reality was probably very different. How did you get any privacy, for a start? Then again, I had nothing but privacy and I had to admit that it could get a bit lonely.

Having been initially grateful that Clio’s family weren’t there, I was starting to wish that I’d met them. If I knew more about who they were, that might help me understand Clio a bit better. She seemed close to them, even though she’d been pretty rude about her brother, and she was obviously devastated about the death of her dad. Now there, the two of us really were different. I’d meant it when I’d said that I could cheerfully murder my dad if he ever showed his face again. Not that that was likely now. He could be dead as well, for all I knew. A lot could happen in fifteen years.