Don't Let Him In

Ash is disappointed that Arlo seems to have been completely taken in by Nick. She thinks back to her infatuation with another middle-aged man, her London colleague, that landed her with stalking charges, and she wonders if she is about to ruin her life again. She takes Nick’s gift to her room and opens it. It contains delicious-smelling soaps, and the pink box they came in is identical to the one with the lighter and the one on Marcelline’s desk. It also bears the imprint of a rose, and Nina is sure that, somewhere, she has seen this logo before.

On Boxing Day, Ash is irritated when Nina announces that Nick will be spending the holiday with them. When Nick arrives, she asks him where the soaps are from. He tells her they are from a shop in Mayfair, near the wine bar. Ash says she will stop by the wine bar sometime, but he tells her that, as of the previous week, he is no longer a co-owner there—he is moving on to new opportunities.

Ash can see that Nina is confused about why he hasn’t mentioned this to her. Nick distracts Nina by announcing that he made an offer on the Bangate Cove property.