‘Don’t you just ring up Coutts, say your family name and receive bags of money?’ I asked, partly as a tease and partly as a genuine question. His family was loaded, so why he never took advantage of that seemed a little strange.

‘Ha. Funny.’ The slightest accent he had picked up twanged occasionally in his words.

‘Of course, like I said before, you can always stay here with Lily,’ said Felix. ‘She’s got four spare rooms as it is. And there’s plenty of space, so you’d never even have to see each other if you didn’t want to.’

I hid behind my mug and planned my brother’s demise. The best way to ensure that we didn’t see each other would be by Jack not being here at all. I glanced at Poppy and even she looked unsure, knowing I’d already vetoed the suggestion.

‘And like I said before,’ Jack stated. ‘It’s not fair on Lily. She likes her privacy and the last thing she needs is me descending on her home.’

‘Rubbish. The company would be good for her.’

‘I thought you just said that we’d hardly see each other,’ I couldn’t help adding.

Felix shrugged. ‘Well, you don’t have to. I’m just saying it wouldn’t hurt to actually speak to another human being every now and then.’

‘I do speak to other human beings every now and then. I also speak to you, so I’ve got all the species covered.’

Jack’s laugh burst from the screen. Felix turned to him and he straightened his face immediately, although I could still see amusement dancing in his eyes.

‘I’m only talking temporarily. It would give Jack a local base from which to build his business. God knows he’s spent enough time in featureless rooms and rented accommodation already.’

Had he? Why?

‘Just until he’s back on his feet.’

‘Felix, mate? I know you’re trying to help, but badgering Lily isn’t the way I want to go.’

‘You’d get to see the kids more, being close. And us, of course, always a bonus.’ He gave a sweeping gesture as though acknowledging his subjects. My brother could be such a dork at times – but I knew he was also a well-meaning one. ‘Plus, you might be able to give Lily some advice about the wilderness currently surrounding this place.’

‘It’s not a wilderness, it’s… private.’

‘If it was any more private, the postman would need a machete!’

‘Stop exaggerating. It’s not that bad.’

Two pairs of eyes gave me an unconvinced reply. I looked at the screen. ‘It’s really not.’

Jack nodded and gave the kind of awkward smile you do when you have been unwittingly dropped into a family discussion. Not that I thought it was that much of an issue. Besides, the postman had only got lost that once.

Jack gave me that smile again. ‘Felix exaggerates. Always has. How do you think he managed to land a hottie like Poppy?’

‘Oi!’ snapped Felix as the rest of us laughed.