Rosie fully accepted that this state of affairs hadn’t been helped by her refusal to let Ron sleep with her no matter how tempted she’d been – and she had been tempted, many a time, for Ron was an extremely fit, charismatic man. But her strict Catholic upbringing meant that the old lectures on hell and damnation still ruled her life, and she found it impossible to break her marriage vows.

Rosie felt utterly depressed by it all. She was in her fifties, with nothing to offer any man but companionship, and she was simply fooling herself into thinking it would be enough for someone as lusty as Ron, who certainly wasn’t short of female admirers. Perhaps it would be kinder to end it now instead of letting it drag on? At least then Ron could find someone who’d give him what he wanted.

She felt a sharp pang of jealousy at the thought and firmly smothered it, recognising it as selfish and unfair – but the spectre of Gloria Stevens taking her place in his affections made her feel quite ill.

She turned from the window to get ready for the day, her dark thoughts milling, her tension rising at the thought of Ron turning up later, full of apologies in the expectation of her forgiving him. It would hurt them both if they were to part – but surely it was the only answer?

Having dressed in slacks and sweater, she pulled on her one pair of flat shoes and a raincoat. ‘Come on, Monty,’ she said briskly, clipping the leash to his collar and reaching for her umbrella. ‘Ron will be busy with Brendon leaving and I need fresh air and space to think things through before he turns up.’

Peggy had woken at the sound of footsteps overhead and water running through the pipes in the bathroom. Fran was up in good time to get to the hospital, and on hearing the quiet voices on the stairs, she gathered Brendon was also up and about. She gave a brief thought to Ron and Frank, who no doubt had spent a very uncomfortable night on her cellar floor, and then slipped out of bed. Pulling on Jim’s old dressing gown, and leaving Daisy and Pauline still asleep, she hurried upstairs to use the bathroom and get dressed for the day.

Daisy was still sleeping when she came back down, so she went into the kitchen to find Pauline bustling about and fussing over Brendon as she shot venomous glares at Frank and Ron, who were unusually subdued as they drank their tea. Peggy made no comment about their attire but had to smother a fit of giggles. Ron had certainly pulled out all the stops to impress Rosie, but Frank really did look ridiculous in his father’s clothes.