'Our Alpine holiday idyll is under threat from a needy fellow traveller'

Dear Graham

Each year, we drive to a timeshare apartment complex in the Bavarian Alps to spend two weeks walking in the mountains.

During the 12 years or so that we have been going there we have made German friends; and my wife has learnt enough German to be able to hold basic conversations with them – I speak no German at all. One such friend is a German widow.

This year, the friend who has ferried her round since her husband died is unable to come, so the widow will be there on her own. We have taken her out several times in the past but worry about the responsibility we’ll have for her this time, especially given the language issue for me (and, to a lesser extent, my wife).

We don’t want something to happen to her (we’re all in our 70s). I confess also that we feel it will take the shine off our holiday somewhat: she is a needy and somewhat disagreeable person. Can you suggest a compromise?...