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cheap, and you’re a single mother now.’
    â€˜I’m a widow, Tony.’
    â€˜Which is worse: you won’t be getting any child support.’
    Christ.
    â€˜How are you going to get by?’
    â€˜If you’re so concerned,’ said Helen, ‘you could always contribute to Mum’s fees for a while, till I get on my feet again.’
    There was a significant pause. ‘Hel, if you need anything, you only have to ask,’ he said carefully. ‘But you have to be realistic about your situation.’
    Helen could feel a tightening in her chest. ‘What are you suggesting, Tony?’
    â€˜I’m only thinking, do you and Noah even need such a big place? The two of you must be rattling around there these days.’
    â€˜Are you saying you want to kick your only sister and your only nephew out on the street?’
    â€˜Of course I’m not saying that,’ he denied. ‘Helen, I realise this is an emotional time for you, but I don’t know how you can even suggest that I’d see you out on the street. I was only thinking you might be much more comfortable in a nice little townhouse, without all the maintenance –’
    â€˜It’s not the time to sell,’ said Helen flatly.
    â€˜On the contrary, I’ve been looking on the internet and the market’s quite strong at the moment.’
    â€˜Not everything comes down to economics, Tony! Mum is still alive. If we sold the house, that money would have to sit in a trust for her. You couldn’t get your hands on it anyway.’
    Her words seemed to echo down the line, all the way to London.
    â€˜That’s not fair, Hel. I wasn’t thinking of myself. I’m thinking of you and Noah.’
    He sounded genuinely hurt, but then again it was hard to tell. He worked in the theatre, after all.
    â€˜Well, it wouldn’t make any difference to my situation,’ Helen said after a while. ‘I either live here rent-free and support Mum, or I pay rent somewhere else. I’d be struggling to do either right now.’
    There was silence for a moment.
    â€˜It sounds like you’ve found yourself in that most unenviable of places, little sister,’ said Tony finally.
    â€˜Oh, where’s that?’
    â€˜Smack bang between a rock and somewhere just as hard.’
    Helen felt the lump rising rapidly in her chest, and a sob escaped before she could do anything to stop it.
    â€˜Oh, don’t,’ said Tony, but not unkindly. ‘That’s how you always got around me when we were kids. And Dad. Mum never fell for it though.’
    Helen sniffed, collecting herself. ‘That’s because you were her favourite.’
    â€˜Mum didn’t play favourites.’
    â€˜She still asks for you,’ said Helen, ‘every single time. She doesn’t even know me most days.’
    â€˜There’s nothing I can do about that, Hel,’ Tony said quietly. ‘It isn’t my fault, I wish you wouldn’t always think the worst of me.’
    â€˜I don’t.’
    â€˜I’m really not the selfish bastard you think I am.’
    â€˜I don’t think that –’
    â€˜I know it’s been hard on you, with me living over here. And I’d send you money if I had it, but London is so expensive, youhave no idea . . .’ His voice trailed off, and then he cleared his throat. ‘You know I’m sharing this place with three other people, and one bloke’s just moved out. We’re all struggling to cover his share of the rent while we find someone to take his place.’ He paused. ‘Hey, why don’t you do that?’
    â€˜What?’ Hadn’t he just said ‘find someone to take his place’? What was he suggesting . . .?
    â€˜Get someone in to share the expenses,’ said Tony.
    Helen felt queasy. ‘What are you talking about?’
    â€˜A boarder.’
    â€˜What, a total