‘Investigation?’

‘It’s a politer word than spying. Are you here to report back to the social services? If so, tell them that my son has a good home and doesn’t need anyone’s interference.’

‘I’m not sure I could say that,’ she replied quietly.

‘What?’

‘Is this a good home? You tell me. What I’ve seen so far looks pretty bleak. Oh, it’s comfortable enough, plenty of money spent. But after all, what’s money?’

Now it was his turn to be fascinated. ‘Some people think money amounts to quite a lot.’

‘Not if it’s all you have.’

‘And you feel entitled to make that judgement, do you?’

‘Why not? At least I looked at the whole room. You judged me on the basis of my clothes and my age.’

‘I told you, I’ve drawn a line under that,’ he said impatiently.

‘But maybe I haven’t,’ she said, incensed again. ‘And maybe I stand on my right to jump to conclusions, just like you.’

She knew she was treading on thin ice, but what the hell? She was usually slow to anger, but there was something about this man that made her want to be unreasonable. In fact, there was something about him that made her want to jump up and down on his head.

He gave an exasperated sigh. ‘This is getting us nowhere. What are you doing in my house?’

House, she noticed. Not home. Well, he was right about that.

‘I gave Mark a lift.’

‘Riding that contraption outside?’

‘No,’ she shot back. ‘I rode it while he ran behind-’ She checked herself. This was no time for sarcasm. ‘Of course. He rode pillion.’

‘Did he have a helmet?’

‘Yes, I gave him mine.’

‘So you rode without one?’

‘Yes.’

‘Which is against the law.’

‘I’m aware of that, but what else could I do? Leave him there? The point is, his head was safe.’

‘But yours wasn’t.’

‘I’m overwhelmed by your concern,’ she snapped.