Olivia stormed down the hill and along the main street, then took the side turn that led to the nature reserve. She wanted peace and quiet and space to think.

How could he? How could he have done that to the family? Why hadn’t she spotted the signs? How could she have been so stupid? The questions, without answers, rolled round and round in her brain and with each circuit she felt more despairing. She walked deep into the reserve, unaware of her surroundings, stamping along the footpaths, not caring where she went, fighting back tears of anger, disappointment and fear until she arrived at a bench by the stream. She sat on it and stared blindly at the sparkling water.

Dear God, how she hated her husband right now. How could he? The waste, the deception, the betrayal, the lies... And she didn’t even feel she could talk to anyone about it because the shame and humiliation were almost too much to bear. And the signs had been there; his worries about what she spent, his bad temper, the complete lack of holidays – presumably because there was no money to be able to afford them... How had she missed all of that? Because, she thought, she wouldn’t have dreamed, not even in her worst nightmares, that her husband was squandering everything they possessed on a stupid addiction. Mid-life crisis was what she’d thought, maybe a mid-life crisis which had involved another woman. Well, it was a crisis all right, and looking at the situation now, had he been having an affair it might have been easier to cope with.

She contemplated leaving him. It would serve him right if she walked out on him. But then a cold sliver of logic thrust its way through the heat of her anger. Where would she go? What would she live on? Realistically she knew she would be so much worse off if she moved out. Sure, if she divorced him she might be entitled to half of everything – the harsh truth was, there was nothing for her to have half of. Olivia stood up and walked along the path, back through the avenue of chestnuts to the main street and then turned to head towards Beeching Rise. Dear God, Beeching Rise – her idea of hell on earth. But, if Nigel was right and the estate was the only place in Little Woodford they could realistically afford and which would allow them to buy without getting involved in a chain she needed to have another look. She supposed she could tell people that they were downsizing for environmental reasons – a smaller place to heat and light... but what if the truth came out. Jeez, the shame would be ghastly. Her, Olivia Laithwaite, one step away from penury.

No, the stark truth was, ridiculous or not, one of those tacky houses was going to be the future family home. And, much as she might have wanted to wait for the development at Coombe Farm to be built, even that luxury was going to be denied her.

*

Zac showered and dressed and ran down the stairs to find his father sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands.

‘You all right?’ he asked, although he didn’t really care.

‘Yeah,’ came the reply.

‘Mum about?’

‘She’s gone out.’

‘Tell her I’m getting the bus to Cattebury. I may not be back for lunch.’

‘Sure.’

Zac let himself out of the front door and crunched over the gravel to the main road. On the other side he saw Megan standing at the bus stop. He waved at her before he checked for traffic and ran across.

‘Got the bank book?’ he asked.

‘“Hello, Megan, nice to see you. Thank you for giving up your Saturday morning to sort out my finances.”’

‘Yeah, of course. Hi, Megan.’

Megan shook her head. ‘I don’t know why I’m doing this.’

‘Because you like me?’ Zac bestowed a goofy grin on her.

Megan couldn’t help herself from smiling back. ‘Sometimes,’ she conceded. ‘By the way, what’s with your mum? I saw her walking past our house and she looked well upset.’

Zac shrugged. ‘Mum, upset? No idea. I haven’t seen her this morning.’ He thought for a second. ‘Mind you, I saw Dad before I left – he looked pretty miserable. Maybe they’ve had a row.’

‘Do they row much?’

‘I dunno. I mean they do sometimes – don’t all parents?’

‘Mine didn’t. Well, Bex and Dad didn’t. I don’t know about Dad and my real mum.’

The sound of a diesel engine grinding up the hill halted their conversation.

‘I’ll get the fare,’ said Zac. The bus hissed to a halt beside them and the door swished open. He offered the driver a twenty pound note.

‘I thought you were broke,’ said Megan.

‘I am,’ said Zac. ‘Mum gave me the money.’ Which was kind of true, he told himself. He led the way to the back of the bus. ‘I do appreciate this,’ he told Megan.

She stared at him. ‘’S all right. Don’t mind helping someone out. Just as long as I get the cash back.’

‘I promised, didn’t I?’

‘Yeah, but you’re borrowing off me to pay back someone else you’ve borrowed off. Just saying.’

‘Don’t you trust me?’

The beat before Megan answered ‘yes’, told the real truth.

Zac turned away from her and looked out the window. He was tempted to snipe at her but even he knew that would be unwise. After a bit his annoyance waned and he had to acknowledge that her lack of trust wasn’t entirely unreasonable, given that he hadn’t been straight with her about who he owed and what for.

‘Sorry,’ he said.

‘What for?’

‘Being an arse.’

‘Yeah, well, you were.’

There was silence for a couple of stops as the bus bounced along the winding road.

‘So, who’ve you borrowed off?’

‘No one.’

Megan eyeballed Zac. ‘Don’t give me that.’

‘You don’t want to know.’

‘I think I do. And if you want the money you’d better tell me.’

There was a pause of several seconds. ‘I smoke the odd joint. I owe my dealer.’

‘Bloody hell, Zac. How much?’

‘Forty. I wouldn’t ask to get bailed out but he’s been getting nasty.’

‘You do drugs? You’re a twat.’

‘I know. I’m going to try and stop.’

‘If I’m going to lend you money you’ve got to do more than try.’

‘You don’t understand, it’s not that easy.’

Megan stared at him then she shook her head. ‘You know, maybe I shouldn’t lend you the dosh.’

Zac went white. ‘Please, Megan, please. He’s got a knife.’

‘For fuck’s sake, Zac.’

‘Please.’ It was almost a whimper.

‘OK, but only this once. Never again. And you have to promise to sort yourself out.’ She gave him another stare. ‘Promise. I mean it.’

Zac nodded as the bus bounced over a speed bump as it ground its way through the suburbs of Cattebury. ‘Almost there,’ he said, keen to change the subject.

Megan pulled out her bank book. ‘I hope you know where the building society is.’

‘Yeah. Stick with me. And I’ll stand you a coffee after if you like.’

‘Lucky me.’

*

Olivia made her way into the sales office and collected another brochure. She’d chucked the previous one away after that unfortunate incident at the book club.

‘Hello,’ said the receptionist cheerily. ‘Back for another look?’

‘Well... er...’

‘If you’re keen you ought to get your name down shortly. An awful lot of the first phase have been sold and we’re now selling the second phase off-plan.’

‘Yes, well... I’ll think about it.’

‘Don’t take too long. I can give you the forms and all the financial information now, if you’re interested.’

‘Well, um...’ She backed towards the door. ‘Anyway, I’ll just take another look at the show house. Please don’t bother on my account.’

Feeling flustered, Olivia fell out of the office and down the path to the show house. She opened the door and gazed inside. Nope, still tacky, still poky, she thought, despondently. No, she told herself, she must not be so judgemental. She had to look at it in a more positive light and work out how she, Nigel and Zac could possibly fit in.

She began to leaf through her replacement brochure, checking out the specifications of the other houses on the development. It seemed that this wasn’t the largest house that was being built, but the price-hike for the seriously big ones probably made them unaffordable, given their new circumstances. Actually, as Olivia looked at the price list for the various plots, she wasn’t sure that they’d be able to afford one like this either. She wondered what they might be reduced to – a two-bed terrace? She shut her eyes at the thought of the come-down.

‘Hello, Mrs L?’

Olivia’s eyes snapped open. ‘Mags. How nice.’ It was anything but.

‘Fancy seeing you here.’

‘Yes... well...’

‘You thinking of buying one of these? Jacqui told me that she thought you were interested. Nice, aren’t they?’

Olivia laughed, lightly. ‘No, just being nosy. I love a good poke around a show house, don’t you?’

‘All a bit modern for me. What’s wrong with a bit of chintz or some woodchip wallpaper?’ Mags look disparagingly at the bold statement paper on the wall behind the mock fireplace. ‘I mean, silver and black... whatever next.’

‘No, not everyone’s cup of tea but very on-trend.’

Mags snorted.

‘Who’s minding the shop?’ asked Olivia. ‘I’d have thought Saturday would be one of your busiest days.’

‘Oh, the girls’ll cope. I told my regulars I couldn’t take appointments this weekend – or next week – I’ve given myself a week’s holiday.’

‘That’s nice.’

‘Yeah, I’m thinking of selling up. I’m not getting no younger and it’s knackering being on your feet all day and I spoke to the housing association. They said with the money I’ll get for the salon, and given my circumstances, I could probably buy one of their places; just a two-bed, nothing grand. But it’ll mean I won’t have to worry about rent no more.’

Olivia’s heart sank. The last straw – living here and with Mags as a neighbour. Hoo-bloody-ray.

‘Well, don’t let me keep you,’ said Olivia, heading for the sitting room door.

‘Oh, I’m in no hurry. So... Jacqui got it wrong, did she?’

Olivia turned. ‘I’m sorry?’

‘Jacqui. Jacqui said you had a brochure. She told me when she had her hair done last. I mean, we all know you were dead against this estate but it’s all over the town you voted for the other one – and here you are, having a good butcher’s.’

‘No, just taking an interest – you know, as a councillor.’

‘So, not thinking of buying to let or nothing like that?’

‘Of course not.’ Dear God, a cock would be crowing three times in a moment, thought Olivia.

‘Only I don’t hold with that.’

‘What?’ Olivia tried not to snap but thought she might have failed.

‘Buying to let.’

‘No, neither do I.’ She escaped out of the room and headed for the stairs.

She checked out the bedrooms again. She supposed they could use the third bedroom as a walk-in wardrobe or maybe Zac would agree to it being his room. Or maybe not. She was mulling over Zac’s likely reaction to losing his beautiful big room at The Grange for this poky box room when she heard someone puffing heavily up the stairs. Mags.

Olivia shot into the family bathroom and hid behind the door. She peeked through the crack at the hinge end and saw Mags disappear into the master bedroom. Olivia tiptoed out of her hiding place and headed for the stairs.

‘Glad I caught you.’

She jumped. It was the sales girl.

‘I brought you that paperwork I promised. Just in case.’

‘I... I didn’t...’

‘And remember what I said about not leaving it too long; these houses are going like the proverbial hot cakes.’ The woman thrust the papers into Olivia’s hands and out of the corner of her eye she saw Mags peering around the bedroom door, a knowing smile on her face and obviously adding up two and two.

Bugger. Olivia knew full well the result Mags would come to and then, so would half the town.