“Lissa,” said Lissa, putting out her hand.

“Och!” said Lennox. “You’re Cormac!”

“Apparently,” said Lissa. “Does everyone know each other here?”

Nina and Lennox looked at each other.

“Well, yes,” said Nina. “That’s more or less how it works.” She kissed the baby, who giggled.

“He’s beautiful.”

“Thank you,” said Nina, pleased. “We like him.”

She blew a raspberry on the happy baby’s stomach, and he chortled uncontrollably. “My mum still can’t believe I came back with a ginger baby,” she added.

“God, I can imagine,” said Lissa, then: “Oh God, I didn’t mean it like that!”

The other two just laughed. “Don’t worry about it.”

“How’s Cormac getting on down south?” said Lennox. “He’ll hate it.”

“Actually,” said Lissa, who’d woken up to a patently drunken and misspelled email and a picture that was just a scribble, “he spent last night at Stockton House and had a totally amazing time.”

She had found herself envious. She didn’t get invited to many private members clubs.

“Cormac?” said Nina. “Ha! Gosh, he’s changed. Maybe he’ll turn into a socialite and he’ll never come back and you’ll be stuck here!”

Lissa looked out at the sun dappling the cobbles and Nina with her happy baby and suddenly felt rather wistful. “What’s Cormac like?” she asked.

“Haven’t you met him? Oh, no, I suppose you wouldn’t have,” said Nina. “He’s kind. The old ladies love him.”

“What about the young ladies?”

Nina smiled. “Oh, he’s not an alley cat. Not like that Jake.”

Lissa raised her eyebrows. “Oh, is he?” said Lissa, disappointed.

“Oh no! Did he have a crack at you?”

Lissa shrugged. “He wanted to take me to the fair.”

Nina grinned. “That’s adorable. Well, he’s . . . very nice.”

“But a bit of a player.”

“He . . . has girlfriends,” said Nina.

“That’s okay,” said Lissa. “I’m not after anything serious. I’m supposed to be chilling out anyway.”

“Well, you’ve come to the right place,” said Nina. “But he’s perfectly safe to go to the fair with. He’s a good bloke. Just not marriage material.”

Just then a woman darted across the square, looking perturbed. “Lennox!” she yelled. “Lennox, can you come?”

Lennox looked confused. “Aye, Carrie, whit is it?”

“It’s Marmalade,” she said. “I can’t find him.”

“Carrie!” said Nina reprovingly. “You can’t just ask Lennox every time—”

“Aye, I’ll have a look,” said Lennox.

Nina gave him a look that turned into a kiss. “You’re not the errand boy of the village.”

Lennox rolled his eyes and packed little John back into his sling. “Aye, the bairn will like seeing a cat,” he said, as the baby waved his fists in the air.