His troubled eyes met mine. ‘And what about you, would you be okay too?’

‘I’ll be fine,’ I said with a lightness my heart didn’t feel. ‘I’ll work at the vineyard for as long as I’m needed and once the baby comes I’ll take a few months off. Then in the autumn I’m hoping to start a course in viticulture.’

The university course I’d mentioned to Dad was at a college just outside Brighton which specialized in all things wine-related and, providing everything was well with Baby Allbright, maybe I’d be joining the student ranks as a distance learner in September.

‘Sounds like you’ve got it all planned out,’ he said. ‘And us?’

He looked so crestfallen that I almost backtracked and begged him to stay after all, but that would be selfish.

‘Jensen, I really like you; you make me very happy.’ Understatement of the century. My throat was beginning to ache with the effort of not collapsing into tears. ‘And I think you and I might have something special, but we’re so new. If we’re meant to be, then six months apart won’t change anything. I know it means you won’t be there when the baby is born, but we can Skype and FaceTime and talk every day.’

He took a deep breath. ‘It probably sounds crazy to you, but I’m really looking forward to this baby. Talking every day won’t be the same.’

‘No,’ I conceded, ‘but the time will fly by.’

He stared at our hands entwined for a long moment before exhaling sadly. ‘You’re probably right. And it is a good opportunity.’

‘There you go, then.’ I kissed him gently. ‘It’s a plan. And when you’re back in the spring we can spend some proper time together, the three of us, and you can decide whether the reality of being with a tiny baby and a frazzled new mother lives up to your expectations.’

He gave me a lopsided smile. ‘Deal. So now what? Do you want to go for breakfast, or …?’

My heart ached at the flatness of his voice; the sooner I got out of his sight the better. I made a show of looking at the time on my phone.

‘I think I’ll just head off, if that’s okay,’ I said bravely, pushing the duvet back, ready to get out of bed. ‘I’m sure you’ve got a lot of organizing to do.’

‘It can wait a bit longer. Come here.’

He folded me into his arms and held me tight. I clung on to him, imprinting the feel of his stubble and the smell of his skin and the warmth of his affection into my memory. This was going to be the longest six months of my life …