Nina Thomas was walking back to her flat, when she saw a slender, silver-haired woman standing in a garden further along the street crumple suddenly and lie motionless on the tiny square of immaculate lawn in front of a pretty cottage. A quick glance round showed her that she was the only person out in the street, so of course she ran along to see if she could help.

By the time she’d reached her, the woman was stirring, so hopefully it wasn’t anything serious. Nina helped her to sit up.

‘What – happened?’

Wow! People really did say that after they’d fainted, Nina thought. ‘I was walking along the street and saw you fall suddenly. I think you must have fainted.’

‘Oh, drat.’ She rubbed the side of her forehead, looked round and asked, ‘Can you help me to get up and sit on the end of that little wall, please?’

‘Of course.’ She did that then asked, ‘Can I fetch someone?’

‘No!’ It came out sharply and she looked ruefully at Nina. ‘My late nephew’s wife is in the house, but please don’t tell her I fainted when she brings out my mug of tea. She’s looking for an excuse to move in with me and take over what’s left of my life and I’m not having it.’

The woman looked to be quite elderly, possibly in her late seventies, but seemed to be in full possession of her senses now and had a healthy colour. She had a lovely smile when she relaxed a little but it was no business of Nina’s what she did about her problem relative.

‘I won’t tell her if you don’t want me to. I’m Nina Thomas, by the way. I live in a flat further along the street, Number 7A, and have just moved in after I sold my own house. I inherited the flat from my parents, but now am trying to sell that too so that I can move to England. So I’m only here temporarily. Are you one of the permanent residents?’

‘Yes. Laura Chadwick. I grew up in this house.’ She waved one hand towards the pretty detached residence then looked pleadingly at Nina. ‘Look, I know this is rather cheeky but would you mind pretending to my niece that you’re a friend as well as a neighbour? I’d be so grateful.’

‘You sound as if you are having a problem with her.’

‘Yes. She keeps going on and on about me having no one to turn to if I need help and saying she could be here for me. Only I don’t need her or even like her. Why my nephew married her I never could work out, because she didn’t make him happy, I could tell. Perhaps if she’d looked after him better, he might not have died so young. Would you do it? It won’t take much of your time.’

‘I’d be glad to pretend to be your friend, Laura, or even to become a genuine friend. I don’t know anyone round here yet, so why don’t you come and have tea with me tomorrow and we can see how we get on with each other for real?’

Her companion’s face lit up at the invitation. ‘How kind of you! I’d love to do that. If you come inside with me now, I’ll suggest she leaves us alone to catch up on our news.’

‘Good idea.’

As they walked into the house together, Nina realised that Laura’s obvious happiness at that invitation had made her feel better too. It was a technique that usually worked, she’d found before. If you didn’t feel happy about life and did something to cheer someone else up, their pleasure could make you feel better, even if it didn’t solve your own problem of the moment.

A middle-aged woman came into the entrance hall from what looked like the kitchen at the rear carrying a steaming mug. She stopped and scowled at Nina. ‘Who are you?’

‘What a rude way to greet one of my friends,’ Laura said. ‘This is Nina. Nina, meet my nephew’s widow, Susan Jones, who comes round occasionally to check that I’m all right. Which I always am.’

The woman ignored that. ‘I’ve not seen this person here before, Laura, so how can she be a friend?’

Even her voice was harsh and ugly, Nina thought. No wonder Laura didn’t want her to move in.

‘I’ve been living in another part of Australia for a while, but now I’m back and really happy to catch up with Laura again.’

‘Which part of Australia?’

‘That’s none of your business, Susan.’ Laura had completely lost her smile now.

The niece set the mug of tea down on the end of the kitchen bench and scowled at Nina. ‘I’m afraid my aunt is getting tired now, so perhaps you can come back another day. If you give me your phone number, I’ll let you know when she’s feeling better.’

‘I’m feeling fine, Susan, and even if I weren’t, when my friend should come round would be none of your business.’ It was Laura who was speaking sharply now and scowling at her niece. ‘And as I’ve told you before, I’m doing fine living on my own and I definitely don’t need a carer.’

‘The doctor is worried about you.’

‘No, he isn’t.’ She glared at her niece. ‘And if I find he’s been discussing my health with you then I’ll change doctors.’

‘He knows I’m trying to look after you. That’s what relatives do when someone needs help.’

‘You’re trying to rearrange my life and I don’t want to do that, thank you very much. And you’re only a relative by marriage so I’m not really your business now that my nephew is dead. Please leave me alone from now on and get on with your own life. In fact, I’d rather you didn’t come to my home again.’

The woman’s mouth dropped open in shock at these blunt words then she snapped, ‘I can’t leave you to muddle through on your own at your age. You’re already getting forgetful.’

‘No, I’m not. Nina dear, will you please see Susan out? She won’t need to take anything but her handbag with her.’

The woman hesitated, then stayed where she was until Laura yelled, ‘Go away! Now! And don’t come back!’

When Nina went back into the kitchen, Laura was sitting at a small table mopping her eyes. ‘Sorry for that outburst. She won’t leave me alone and it’s getting me down. She’s trying to gain control over me. Um, she didn’t take anything with her, did she?’

‘No. Just her handbag. Why do you ask?’

‘She’s pinched a few small items from me recently, some quite valuable. It can only be her who’s taken them because no one else had come into the house on the days they vanished.’

‘That’s shocking. Perhaps you should consult your lawyer about her and get a restraining order to keep her away.’

There was dead silence then Laura slowly began to smile. ‘I never thought of that. You don’t think it’d be a bit drastic? Her husband, who was my nephew, died a few months ago and I felt sorry for her, so invited her round to tea a couple of times. Only, she kept saying I was failing and needed someone to live with me. I don’t need or want anyone, least of all her.’

‘She certainly sounds to be trying to take over your life. It’s the first time I’ve met her and it’s obvious that she wants to keep other people away from you. Some folk do that to elderly relatives and then go on to take over their finances too, so be careful of her.’

She waited a moment then added gently, ‘Do you have a car?’

‘No. I’m no longer able to drive because of a health condition.’

‘Well, if you want to see a lawyer and arrange to keep that woman away permanently, I’ll be happy to drive you to his or her rooms.’ She grinned and added, ‘And for the record I do not wish to move in with you afterwards.’

Laura chuckled. ‘Thank goodness for that. I actually like living alone and have a good cleaner so I don’t need anyone to help me in the house, though I would like to catch up with some distant relatives before I die. I lost touch years ago, sadly, when they moved to the UK.’

She continued to look upset, eyes brimming with tears again. ‘You’re so kind. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t helped me today.’ She grimaced and pointed to the mug. ‘Even the coffee Susan makes tastes awful.’

‘I’ll pour it away then, shall I?’

‘Please do.’ She sat down on a kitchen stool. ‘I still feel a bit wobbly so if you’ll kindly fetch me the phone and the index next to it from the hall table first, I’ll sit in the dining area and ring up the social worker. Luckily for me, the...