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glasses slip down her nose and looked over them at Molly. ‘When was the last time you thoroughly enjoyed your life?’
    She didn’t even have to think about that. ‘When the children were small, before Craig got so career oriented. It’s never been quite as good since.’
    ‘That’s a long time to be unhappy, dear.’
    ‘I haven’t been unhappy, so much as . . . well, faintly anxious.’ She looked at Jane in surprise. ‘Goodness, I never realized that. I never seemed to do anything well enough to suit Craig, you see. And in the last few years we were together, it got much worse. He became so scornful.’ She looked down at herself. ‘I’m not good with clothes, I wear glasses and can’t wear contact lenses, so I don’t do him credit. There was nothing he didn’t criticize about me.’
    ‘And you believed what he said.’ Jane let that sink in, then said with a smile, ‘He’s right about clothes. You’re not very good at choosing them. I’d have helped you with your wedding outfit, but Denis isn’t very well just now.’
    ‘I’m sorry. He does look a bit . . . pale.’
    ‘Yes. Let’s focus on you, though. You should get right away from here.’
    ‘I want to, but now that I can’t sell the house I’ll have to stay. If I tried to get work, I’m sure Craig would find some way to prevent me, I just know he would. Look at how he’s ruined the auction. I’m sure it’s he who’s harassing me.’
    ‘I agree.’
    Molly looked at her in surprise.
    ‘I never liked him, dear, and he felt the same about me. But it won’t do you any good to go and cower in a country rut.’ She frowned. ‘Actually, I think I might be able to help you. Have you thought of letting the house for a time, rather than selling it?’
    ‘And have Craig arrange for the tenant to be harassed? It wouldn’t be fair to them.’
    ‘You think he’s that bad?’
    Molly looked at her in surprise and it was a moment before she could pull her thoughts together. Another surprise. ‘Yes. Yes, I do. He wasn’t like that when we married but now he’s a . . . a shark!’
    Jane patted her hand. ‘Then one solution might be to rent your house to my son and get on with building a new life elsewhere.’
    Molly stared at her in surprise. ‘Stuart? Why would he want to live here, with those yobs causing trouble?’
    ‘He’d enjoy the challenge of sorting them out, if I know Stuart. It’s a bit hard retiring, when you’ve been in the army all your life. If anyone knows how to deal with stroppy youths, my Stuart does. Since he and Wendy got back from touring Australia in a campervan, he’s looking for somewhere temporary to live because, like you, he needs to sort out a new life for himself. He says he isn’t buying a house till that’s settled.’
    ‘You’ve plenty of room for him and his wife in your house. Why would they want to live next door?’
    Jane laughed. ‘Stuart and his father are too alike to cohabit comfortably. Ooh, the rows they used to have before Stuart left home! And still do from time to time. No, I couldn’t stand that. I’d have to spend all my time playing peacemaker, and I’ve better things to do with my life.’
    She grinned and her eighty-year-old face turned suddenly into a little girl’s mischievous one. ‘Stuart and Wendy have got their youngest son intermittently at home while he finishes university and they have lots of army friends still who like to visit, so they want more than space for themselves. They always keep open house. Denis would hate to have strangers coming and going here, especially now. Look, I can tell Stuart the whole story, if you’re considering renting it out, and then we can let him decide. Are you interested?’
    Molly didn’t even hesitate. ‘It’d be a godsend. It’d let me try life on my own without committing to anything.’
    Jane studied her. ‘You know, I think dealing with this might be the making of you. If I can presume to offer you some