‘But Genevieve seems to think something’s going on,’ Yvonne said sharply, a furrow between her eyebrows.

Clancy didn’t drop her gaze. ‘Does she?’

Yvonne’s frown deepened. ‘Didn’t she just say so?’

‘Not sure,’ Fergus contributed doubtfully. ‘Is that what she said? Or did she just hint?’

‘Well … I don’t know.’ Yvonne looked confused. ‘It sounded as if they were doing a lot more than talking. Not that I knew they’d even exchanged a word since Alice came back!’ she added with asperity.

Aaron watched Clancy. Her gaze switched between his parents as they talked. What she didn’t do, he noticed, was meet his eye.

‘You know,’ he said, suddenly seeing no reason not to acknowledge a frailty in his old girlfriend. ‘Genevieve can put a spin on facts when she feels like it.’ It at least made Clancy look at him. Her expression was … contemplative. But cautious.

He took her hand and bid his parents goodnight, dropping a kiss on his mother’s cheek.

Outside the light was fading. Aaron strolled across the village, still in possession of Clancy’s hand, aiming towards his place. He felt her hesitate as they hit Droody Road, as if she might decide to peel off for the Roundhouse, but then she continued with him.

Soon they were in his kitchen. He left the door open so Nelson could have a good sniff around the garden. The moths could fly in but the conversation he meant to have with Clancy wouldn’t be interrupted by Nelson scratching to come in again.

Her expression was shuttered but she was the one to speak first. ‘Alice said they’d only talked but Lee didn’t want his family to know. I said it wasn’t fair to ask me to keep a secret from you and I ended the discussion.’

‘When did you see them?’ he asked, noticing the way her beautiful mouth had turned down at the corners. She was not enjoying this.

‘Sunday night.’ She tangled her fingers with his, her gaze steady. ‘Alice was adamant that nothing had happened. She’s my cousin.’

‘But I’m your lover,’ he reminded her neutrally.

She nodded. ‘A lover who takes his brother’s part whenever Lee and Alice are discussed.’ She moved in closer so that he had to combat the urge to slip his arms around her. Her gaze was both apprehensive and mutinous. ‘Do they really have to stand between us all the time? They’re adults. If they get back together there’s nothing you or your parents can do about it. If Alice decides to end her joke of a marriage it’s her decision.’

He squeezed her fingers, wishing heartily that Genevieve had kept her mouth shut. ‘I was here to see Lee crumble when Alice left before – left him in the cruellest of ways – and I worry about his sanity; what will happen next time they break up. I can’t pretend it’s not a concern.’

Nelson ambled in, bringing the fresh scent of outdoors with him, and put his head between Aaron and Clancy to gaze up, ears back, and give a big doggy smile. Absently, Clancy tousled his ears. ‘I’ve never made it clear to Alice how badly Lee was affected by her leaving. I don’t know whether he’d want her to know. It would be interesting to know what, if anything, he’s told her himself, wouldn’t it? I think I’ll go back to the Roundhouse tonight. I need to get my head round things.’