“Advice is always easier to give when one stands outside the forest. It’s when one is among the trees that everything gets all muddied up,” Helen said sagely. “Just as I am able to easily give you advice but if it were the same dilemma presented to me with James or John or any number of my ex lovers, I would be just as confused as to how to handle it.”

Possibly not, with John, but John had always been able to get under her skin even when Helen hadn’t wanted him to.