She should introduce Susie to her mother. The two of them had a lot in common. But maybe Susie had a point – maybe a night away from dust and rubber gloves would do her good. ‘Okay,’ she conceded. ‘Where are you going to take us?’

Susie put down her glass. ‘How about speed dating?’

‘No.’ There was no way Rory was doing that.

‘I don’t think so, thank you.’ Penny dropped her eyes and sipped at her wine.

‘Why not? It’ll be fun.’ Susie held out her hands as if she was amazed at their lack of interest. Rory loved her for her eternal enthusiasm but love only stretched so far.

‘It will be ridiculous.’

‘And too fast. I want to get to know someone properly this time. No philanderers.’ Penny shuddered.

The front door banged and Belle appeared at the entrance to the sitting room. Sometimes her beauty made Rory gasp. Over this summer, she had lost the last of her girlish softness. Her face had become stronger, more womanly, and her body had followed. Every time Rory looked at her, Belle seemed to have changed again.

‘I’m home, Mum. I did my homework at Fiona’s.’ Belle waved at Susie and Penny. ‘I had dinner there too, so I’m just going to chill in my room for a bit.’ She blew Rory a kiss and disappeared again.

‘She is such a lovely girl,’ Penny sighed, after Belle closed the door.

Rory nodded. ‘She is. I’m very lucky.’

Susie picked up her wine glass and took another large swig. She nodded in the direction of the sitting room door. ‘She’ll have a boyfriend before you do.’

‘Belle?’ Rory smiled. ‘No, she’s not interested in boys yet. Other than as friends, obviously. She’s got some good friends.’

‘Hello? She’s sixteen, woman. Of course she’s interested in boys. And isn’t her sixth form college co-ed?’

‘She’s only just turned sixteen.’ Rory wasn’t naïve; of course Belle was growing up – as her mother liked to keep reminding her – but Belle had always been young for her age. Maybe it was the single-sex grammar school she’d attended, maybe it was the fairy tale princess obsession, but she had just never shown much interest in real-life boys.

Susie was right, though. Starting A-levels meant that Belle would be sharing classes with boys for the first time. Come to think of it, she and Fiona had been very giggly about it on their induction day. Maybe Rory needed to prepare herself for some changes. Boy-shaped ones.

But Rory had had enough change in the last few weeks. ‘Anyway, leaving Belle out of this, who says I want a boyfriend? I’ve just bought a house – I don’t want to have to share it with anyone other than Belle.’

Susie looked around, and Rory followed her eyes.