Charlotte was obviously a woman of many talents. ‘I’m sure she would,’ Em replied, deadpan. She glanced longingly at the folding chairs they’d brought, wishing she could retreat into her novel now, thus escaping this interminable conversation about Seren’s amazing, highly skilled mother who was better than Em in every way. She turned back just in time to see Jack leaping athletically to get the Frisbee further down the beach. ‘Good catch!’ she yelled as he snatched it out of the air. George went over and clapped him on the back and Em smiled at the scene, but Seren meanwhile had a face like thunder. ‘My daddy,’ she growled under her breath.

Okay, so not everyone was having a perfect day on the beach, Em thought wearily. But she wouldn’t let one small mardy person spoil everything. Absolutely not. ‘Ah, here’s Izzie,’ she said, as her daughter appeared, apparently in need of a hair bobble. ‘Izzie, do me a favour, love, and take Seren for a shell hunt, will you? Just for two minutes? Thank you. See who can find the best one.’

Izzie glanced back longingly at the Frisbee game. ‘Do I have to? Can’t she go on her own?’

‘It appears not,’ Em replied before she could stop herself. ‘Go on,’ she cajoled. ‘Make an effort, please. Be nice.’

Izzie shot Seren a murderous glare, but acquiesced. ‘Come on then,’ she muttered to the younger girl.

‘Daddy Fox is coming with us,’ said Seren, plucking him from her little woodland line-up, while the other figures stared blankly on.

‘Whoopee-doo,’ growled Izzie, stalking away.

Em sank gladly into her chair and retrieved her sand-speckled book. The sun was dancing on the sea in front of her. Jack and George were shouting with laughter as they attempted diving Frisbee-catches nearby. The girls would hopefully forge a friendship over some rock-pool discoveries. Meanwhile she could indulge in what the glossy mags called ‘me-time’, which in Em’s eyes meant doing bugger all for anyone else. For a change.

Barely five minutes later, though, a high-pitched shriek ripped through the air. A high-pitched shriek, moreover, that came from the direction of the rock pools. Em whipped her head round just in time to see Seren clambering out of a pool, dripping wet and in floods of tears. Oh Lord.

Snatching up a towel, she went running straight over. George too charged across at once. They just needed the red swimming togs to go the full Baywatch. ‘Are you okay?’ he called to his daughter.

Seren stumbled towards him. ‘She pushed me,’ the little girl accused through gasping sobs. ‘She pushed me in!’

Izzie looked stricken. ‘What? No, I didn’t,’ she cried hotly, meeting Em’s eye. ‘I did not!’

‘And she said she didn’t want to collect stupid sh-sh-shells with me,’ Seren sobbed. ‘She said it was babyish and she wanted to play Fr-Fr-Frisbee!’