“Yes, she is.” She noticed that his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. “She deserves better than Richard, that’s for sure.”

“That, we can agree on. So where do you want to go, or are you going to let me decide?”

“You decide. Somewhere remote. Somewhere we’re not likely to meet people. I’m guessing that’s a tough ask for the Lakes in the summer.”

“Not necessarily. Summer tourists have a pattern. They mostly get up late, enjoy a slow breakfast and then congregate in all the most popular areas. We won’t be going there. I’m not saying we won’t meet anyone, but they’ll be hikers or climbers, and you can stay behind me and keep your head down. Also, we have Buster.”

“Buster?” She heard a whine from behind her and turned to see a beautiful spaniel, tail wagging, legs braced as he swayed with the movement of the van.

“Are you okay with dogs? I probably should have asked.”

“I love dogs.” She would have had one, but she’d decided it wasn’t fair with her lifestyle. But her lifestyle was about to change, wasn’t it? Maybe there would be room for a dog in this new family she was dreaming about. She almost smiled at herself. She needed to figure out how to care for a baby before she added in a lively puppy. “How long have you had him?”

“He’s not mine. He belongs to my sister, but I’m dog-sitting while she’s away. You don’t have a dog?”

“Up until now I’ve never been in one place for long enough.”

“Up until now?” He turned off the main road and followed a winding road that led into a valley. “Does that mean you’re thinking of hanging around?”

“I don’t know. My life is complicated. So complicated it makes my brain hurt to think about it.” She hoped he wouldn’t ask in what way it was complicated because she didn’t want to talk about it. She wouldn’t have known where to start. It wasn’t clear in her own head, so she certainly wouldn’t have been able to share it.

Fortunately he was one of those rare people who knew when to let a subject drop.

“In that case you were right to get out in the mountains. It’s the perfect cure for an overheated brain.” He drove out of Forest Nest, past the sign and toward the village.

It was early, and there was little traffic.

He took narrow roads that snaked along the valley, past another lake and then gradually started to climb.

She gazed out the window, loving the wildness of it and appreciating the fact that right at this moment no one knew where she was.