The slide read: Use of traffic light colours in effective feedback. Rory groaned inside and let her head fall back onto the seat. This was going to be a long hour.

Susie sent her a note scribbled onto the back of an agenda: Back to yours after for wine?

It would have to be wine. After rescheduling the electrician, Rory wouldn’t dare to boil a kettle.

Chapter Three

When you buy something new, particularly something that costs thousands and thousands of pounds, you feel the need to justify the money you’ve spent. Therefore, it was possible that Rory had romanticised the house somewhat when she’d described it to Susie and Penny. Judging by the look on Susie’s face when they walked in through the door, she had completely misrepresented it.

Penny was kinder. ‘It’s a great size, Rory.’

‘Yeah,’ agreed Susie. ‘But where’s the butler with the bolts through his neck?’

‘Very funny.’ Rory opened the door to the sitting room. ‘You should have seen it two weeks ago. It’s taken thirty gallons of Cif and Flash to get it looking like this.’

The sitting room and kitchen were clean, at least. Rory had taken the furniture from Scott’s house – apparently Megan wanted ‘all new’ – so there was a sofa and a couple of chairs for them to sit on. Before they got comfortable, Rory took them on a quick tour of the house, ending up in the kitchen.

‘Well, I think it’s got a lot of character.’ Penny patted Rory on the arm. ‘If anyone can do this, you can.’

‘I think you’re bonkers.’ Susie took two red wine bottles from a bag and stood them on the kitchen counter. ‘But I agree with Pen. It will look fabulous once the work is done. When do your builders start?’

Rory ducked behind the kitchen counter and hunted through unpacked boxes for wine glasses. ‘I haven’t got a builder.’

‘What?’ Susie and Penny asked in unison.

The glasses weren’t in that box. Rory pushed it aside for another. ‘I’m going to do it myself.’

When Susie started to laugh, Rory stood up. ‘What?’

‘Even for you, Little Miss Independent, that has got to be a joke.’

Penny frowned and pulled her cardigan closed. ‘She’s right, Rory. You need to get professional help with this.’

Rory stuck her chin out. ‘I’ve got an electrician and I’ll get a plumber. But I can do the rest of it. I’ll do some classes. Read some books.’

Susie nodded exaggeratedly, her blonde curls bouncing. ‘Sure, sure. Because you do have a lot of spare time on your hands. It’s not like you spend all your evenings marking and planning lessons or anything.’

Susie had a fair point. But doing up the house would drag Rory away from her desk. Teaching prep could take over your life if you let it.

‘I just need to organise my time.