‘Poor Tom, I think he’s finding your sudden return a bit overwhelming,’ Nora says, folding her letter.

‘Aye … I can understand that.’

‘He’ll get used to you, I’m sure.’

Laying down the newspaper, Jack gets up to attend the fire which is burning low. He pushes another log into the flames and takes the poker from the companion set to nudge it into place.

‘You must be so pleased to be back.’

‘Aye.’

Nora is suddenly beside him. She takes down the framed wedding photo from the mantelpiece. He replaces the poker and rises from his crouch, careful to keep a safe distance between them.

‘What an attractive couple you make.’ She beams, but there is a brashness to her that he does not trust. ‘All those years away …’ She puts the picture back. ‘I thought everyone got a bit of home leave.’

‘I never quite managed it, what with one thing and another.’

‘I’m sure you and Gwen are looking forward to getting reacquainted after such a long time.’

He does not appreciate the mischief dancing in her eyes. He retreats to the settee as flames take hold on the new log.

Gwen appears in the doorway. She looks between them. Nora grins, then performs an exaggerated stretch like a poor actress.

‘Tom down, is he? Well, I’m clean tuckered out and I’m sure you two have a lot to catch up on, so why don’t I go and shut the chickens in and then make myself scarce? I wouldn’t mind an early night.’

She brushes past Gwen in the doorway, pausing to say ‘Be good’ in a stage whisper punctuated by a crass flare of her eyebrows. Gwen’s features harden with contempt as she watches her disappear into the kitchen. Once she has heard the back door bang, she addresses Jack.

‘We’ll have to think about where you’re going to sleep.’ She perches on the edge of her chair and stares into the licking flames. From her evident disquiet, Jack deduces she has been thinking of little else since she took Tom to bed. ‘Nora loves to gossip. She’ll talk, you see … if she suspects …

‘I see.’

‘She’s in the spare room.’

‘I presumed as much.’

‘We will have to be careful … pretend you’re in with me, I suppose …’

‘I can take the tack room again.’

A guilty look of relief flashes across Gwen’s face. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Aye … and if Nora says anything you can tell her that I get nightmares … and that I was worried about frightening Tom.’

She nods, then after a while she asks quietly, ‘Do you?’ Seeing his blank expression, she adds, ‘Get nightmares?’

It is now his turn to look at the dancing flames. ‘Sometimes.’

She says nothing. Eventually, she rises from her chair. ‘I should get the mattress and bedding now, before Nora comes back in.’

‘I’ll give you a hand.’