Mabel clicked her fingers. ‘Spot on, Heulwyn! Why didn’t I notice that?’

‘Because I should imagine you were still reeling from the news that Suzie’s just been reunited with her mother, who turned out to be Roz’s friend – heck, I’m still reeling from the news and I don’t even know any of them!’ said Gethin.

But Mabel was only listening with half an ear, because Heulwyn was right, Roz hadn’t mentioned Felix, yet he should’ve been the majority of her letter, so why hadn’t she? She looked at Heulwyn. ‘Would it be alright if I went home for a week?’

Heulwyn nodded. ‘Of course it would. I take it you won’t want to leave until Gethin goes back?’

Mabel grinned. ‘You guessed correctly.’ She closed her eyes as the delicious smell of simmering soup wafted in her direction. ‘It may only be a week, but I won’t half miss your cooking!’

When Roz got Mabel’s letter her heart sank into her boots. She waved it at Joyce. ‘Mabel’s coming to visit. She’s going to stay with her mum but she wants to meet up.’

Joyce smiled. ‘That’s wonderful news, why aren’t you happy?’

‘Because I’ve not told her about Bernie and our little arrangement, and I don’t like the idea of lying to her – I’ve done enough of that already.’

Adele shrugged. ‘Tell her the truth then. If she’s a good friend she’ll understand.’

Roz knitted her eyebrows. ‘She can still be a good friend but disapprove of what I’m doing, and I should think she probably will. She likes Felix, they get on like a house on fire. She won’t like the idea that he’s having the wool pulled over his eyes.’

‘In that case don’t tell her,’ said Adele as though this was an easy thing to do.

‘That would be lying, and she’s bound to ask me how Felix is and how my trip went, and …’ Roz clasped a hand to her forehead. ‘I didn’t even mention my trip in my letter because I felt a real heel. How am I going to be able to lie to my bezzie?’

Joyce shook her head. ‘This is all my fault. You shouldn’t have to lie to anyone. I think enough is enough.’

Roz got to her feet as Joyce tried to head out of the door. ‘Don’t! I can’t undo what’s been done, so what’s the point in backing down now, especially when Suzie’s doing so well?’

‘Because it’s making you miserable,’ said Joyce, her hand on the door handle, ‘and it’s not fair. I saw your face when you returned from that meal – you looked miserable, but you still smiled your way through it. I had no right to ask you to do this in the first place, and now I need to put things right.’

‘So what are you going to do?’ said Roz. ‘Go out there and tell Bernie that I’ve been stringing him along?’