I opened my mouth to argue, but Jack was there before me. ‘I know you went through an awful, awful, tragic thing. But it’s like you stopped living that day as well. Some people don’t get that choice, Lily. I used to work with a guy out in New Zealand. Fit and healthy as an ox, at least we thought he was, and then one day he collapsed. They rushed him to hospital and found a brain tumour that had spread cancer throughout his body. Absolutely nothing they could do. Suddenly this young, fit guy who had all this life in front of him had it snatched away, just like your husband. Neither of them had a choice. But you have a choice and you’re wasting it!’ His eyes burned through me for a moment before he turned on his heel and slapped his thigh once, at which the dog trotted up, glancing back at me as he did so.

‘She’s not coming.’ Jack spoke to the dog without looking at me as he pulled on his boots. ‘Come on, boy.’ Clive gave a small whine as he looked at me.

‘Go on,’ I said gently, feeling my voice thick in my throat. ‘Go and have a lovely walk with Jack.’

Jack opened the door, gestured for the dog to go through, then closed it behind him, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.

I dropped down onto the sofa and rested my head in my hands, feeling the cooked breakfast which had been so enjoyable to eat, despite the atmosphere, now sitting leaden in the pit of my stomach. Jack had gone too far, whether he admitted it or not, but deep down, I also knew he was right. It was just that nobody had ever been so blunt about it with me before. I’d had heated discussions with my brother, of course, but he knew where to draw the line. Jack seemed to have no idea that there even was a line.

I looked over at the empty dog bed and saw a squashy hot dog with a face tucked into the side of it. Clive must have been cuddling it when I came down last night. The thought made me smile, despite the tear that trickled down my face and dropped off my chin. Walking over to the bed, I crouched down and tidied the blankets and the couple of toys up, making sure it was comfortable for when Clive came back. Knowing Jack, he would walk for miles, so the poor dog would probably be exhausted.

Suddenly the back door opened and I jumped, losing my balance and ending up bum-first on the floor.

‘Sorry,’ Jack said, looking as though he genuinely meant it and reaching down a hand for me to take to pull myself up again.

‘It’s fine. I just…’ Jack looked from me to the dog bed and back to me again. ‘I was just tidying up and I didn’t expect you back so soon.’