Betsy snorted. ‘Not when I make it.’

It was almost lunchtime and Evie and I were working together near the centre of the vineyard in one of the most exposed spots.

‘Up until today, my image of picking the grape harvest was all “du pain, du vin, du Boursin”, basking under a hot Mediterranean sky,’ she said through chattering teeth.

‘It was nice last week, unfortunately Storm Sandra had other ideas.’ I snipped a perfect bunch of grapes and dropped them in our crate.

‘Ooh.’ Evie paused to circle her shoulders. ‘Perhaps you could get a job somewhere warmer next year.’

I wrinkled my nose. ‘Nah. I like it here. For as long as it lasts. Mind you, I’d like it even more if a certain person hadn’t gone incommunicado on me.’

She smiled sympathetically, before bumping the crate along the ground to the next vine. ‘I know this is clichéd coming from me, but things have a way of working out. Don’t give up hope. You never know: he might turn up out of the blue.’

I sighed, trudging after her. ‘The only blue he’s interested in at the moment is the wide blue sky over Table Mountain.’

‘So go to him.’ She blinked at me as if it was the obvious answer. I had actually googled flights to Cape Town, but there was too much work for me to do here at the moment and by the time it calmed down, my pregnancy would probably be too advanced for me to get permission to fly. Also, I was too scared he’d send me away.

I shook my head. ‘He’s ignored all my attempts to communicate. I’ve tried telling him that there’s nothing going on between Harvey and me, but I think seeing us together coupled with the fact that I insisted he take this new job has hurt his feelings beyond repair.’

‘Hmm.’ Evie’s eyes glittered.

‘No way,’ I said, recognizing the signs. ‘Don’t interfere.’

She raised her eyebrows innocently. ‘Like you didn’t interfere with Darren?’

‘That was different,’ I said quietly. ‘I knew Darren loved you. No one loves me.’

Evie dropped her secateurs to the ground and flung her arms around me. ‘I do. Dad does.’

Moments later we heard Agnes’s strident shout from the top of the vineyard telling us that lunch was ready. Evie went on ahead and I caught up with Matt in the winery who was unloading full crates of grapes from the back of the trailer.

He pulled off his black beanie and ruffled his hair. ‘You look wiped out,’ he said, frowning with concern. ‘Sit down before you fall down. Godfrey’s inside.’