Tempted by Trouble. Liz Fielding

all the ice cream away. Or just wander off when she got bored.’

      ‘Is it Alzheimer’s?’ he asked point-blank.

      ‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘She always had a bit of a reputation for giddiness but she’s had a lot to deal with over the years. She blamed herself for Grandpa’s death, which is ridiculous,’ she added, before he could start adding two and two and making five. ‘He was killed in a road accident. In Nigeria. And then my mother died. She hasn’t been quite focused since then. Her doctor thinks she simply blocks out what she can’t cope with.’

      ‘We all have days when we’d like to do that,’ he murmured sympathetically.

      ‘Yes …’ Then, afraid that she was revealing more than she should, ‘You can see why I won’t have her put under any stress.’

      ‘Of course,’ he said. ‘But there’s absolutely nothing wrong with your focus, Lovage. Maybe, since you’ve taken charge of the letter meant for her, you could at least stand in for your grandmother on Saturday.’