Jack appeared in the doorway with a steaming mug of tea. He smiled, speaking softly so as not to wake Elodie.

‘Morning, sleepyhead. Thought you could use this. I’ve got to hit the road as I’m operating first thing. Why don’t you pop and see Lucy later if you feel like a bit of company? I’m sure she’d love to see you.’ He smirked playfully. ‘You can compare notes on embroidery or knitting, or whatever it is young ladies like to talk about …’

‘Aren’t you the comedian? Sod off.’ I took a mock swipe at him. ‘Yeh, I might just do that. Think I could do with getting out of the house for a bit. I reckon I’ll need a kip later though. Can’t have had more than four hours last night after all that business with Mrs Barley.’

‘I’d ask her outright what she was doing. I’m sure there’ll be a reasonable explanation.’

‘I hope so.’

He planted a kiss on my mouth. ‘You take things easy today. See you this evening.’

*

I drank my tea, then texted Lucy to see how she was doing and if she would be free later. I thought how I would have loved to ring Reggie to tell her what had happened. She would have been buzzing about it all. It was times like this that I really missed not being able to pick up the phone and hear her voice at the other end of the line. I felt tears threaten and gave myself a shake before I began to wallow in nostalgia. I managed to shower and dress before Elodie woke, then started to worry that she’d slept too long, and kept putting a finger beneath her nose to make sure she was actually breathing. To my relief, she soon screwed up her little face and began to cry.

I changed her nappy, and put her into a fresh Baby-gro. I sat on the bed and put her to my breast, scrolling through my phone as I did so. Uncannily an old message from Reggie popped up. ‘Hope you’re having fun whatever you’re up to.’ It felt very strange, yet poignant and a tear ran down my cheek. I missed her so much.

My phone pinged suddenly. It was Lucy, responding to my message with quite a lengthy text. She had gone back home but the relationship with Eddie was over, and she was in the process of moving a lot of stuff to her mum’s, which was at the other end of the village. Her mum was out at work, and she’d given the address, asking if I wanted to go round there for lunch. I replied that I’d love to and said I’d see her later.

*