‘It’s you speaking.’ David looked her straight in the eyes. There was a challenge in his expression: not to lie to him, not to lie to herself. And that being honest wouldn’t be so bad. Suddenly, Tara understood why David’s clients opened up like flowers.

She was sad. Phil’s lying had made her sad, not his absence. How ‘in the way’ could a cat be? What was going on? Why was she letting him get away with treating her like this? And why – why? – was the thought of David knowing this about her making her cringe inside?

‘The thing about Phil is that, it sounds bad, but actually we’re—’ she started.

‘Hey! Stop slacking!’

It was Emily’s voice, in top PE-teacher form, and Tara jumped with a guilty start. As did David, and probably several lunchtime joggers.

Tara swivelled to see where Emily’s voice was coming from and spotted her on the other side of the lawned area, hands on hips, glowering at a panting Lionel, four steps behind her. He was bent over, struggling to get his breath back, a deep red heart of sweat forming on the back of his Aertex shirt.

‘Should Lionel be that colour?’ David’s brow furrowed. ‘Should we go and help him?’

‘I don’t think he’d want us to see him like that,’ she said, and patted her own knees. ‘Come on. Let’s get out of their way before they spot us.’

‘Are you sure you’re ready to go back?’ He looked concerned. ‘We could nip through the rose gardens and just walk on the other side of the park for a bit.’

‘I’m OK. Really. Come on.’ Tara bounced to her feet. ‘We can get the defibrillator warmed up for Lionel.’

But even as she made conversation about the local plague pits on the way back, Tara had made up her mind about one thing: she was going to end it with Phil.

By the end of Keith Hunter’s first week, when the official plans were presented to an open meeting, there was a palpable air of anticipation in the town hall.

Keith’s assistant Conrad had set up a slick display to showcase KPH Associates’ vision for Troutbridge village hall; the repairs marked in pale grey, the proposed adjustments in a darker colour. What could be saved from the original structure was being made safe by workmen; beyond that, KPH Associates proposed extending the kitchen to make it viable for event hire, removing the ramshackle extension and replacing it with a lighter, glass-encased space, adding facilities for Flicks in the Sticks cinema nights and a mezzanine cafe space. There was a computer simulation alongside the drawings: silhouettes of people doing yoga and tap dancing on the refurbished stage, as well as standing around drinking coffee in front of the renovated fireplace.