He hesitated. “Sort of. I mean, he suggested it, and I said I'd think about it. And before I knew it — well, you know Dad." I laughed. I did. "And as you said earlier, a fresh pair of eyes. Two heads are better than one."

At what, I wondered.

"I sometimes get bogged down with all the figures," he admitted.

"Ah! Well in that case Tommy will be brilliant."

"Exactly. He loves all the forensic stuff." He was opening the door for me now, holding it for me to pass under his arm. As I came out I caught a glimpse of Belinda in the kitchen: waiting, watching. She turned quickly to the sink. "And he can't stay long, anyway — he's got to get back to running his own company."

"Well, quite."

Polite chat now, not that we'd gone deep in there. But particularly since Christina was coming down the staircase behind us with the children, both looking washed and brushed after the beach.

“Darling!" He turned. "I've just been looking at Flora's painting. It's terrific!"

"Is it?" Her face broke into a wide, genuine smile. "Oh good. I'm dying to see it, but I won't intrude."

"Oh, I never mind," I told her. "But I might just get his shoulder under control. He's a bit Richard the Third at the moment. I'll show you tomorrow."

"I'd love that, thanks."

“Daddy!" The children jumped the last few steps and threw themselves against Hugo's legs, imploring him to look at their buckets of shells.

"And crabs! Live ones, Daddy — outside!"

Out on to the front step they dragged him, one on each hand. We all went, actually, to look. Crouching down we peered into sandy buckets, at urchins and tiny starfish. Tiger shells with spots were lined up carefully on the steps by Ibby and much admired. “To sell," she told me, looking up at me gravely. "Like in a shop." I listened to their chatter for a bit. I heard Hugo being sweet with them, promising he'd come tomorrow to look for more. Suggesting a rock pool round at Dragmar Bay where he'd always had success, as a child.

At length I took my leave of that little family, leaving them to admire the fish skeleton Ibby retrieved right from the bottom of the bucket, covered in seaweed. Theo insisted he'd seen it first.

“Did not!"

“Did!"

As I went, it occurred to me that it hadn't been as hard to leave them to their happiness as it might have been in the past.