Folding the dress, she rolled her eyes and tried to channel Kathy, the most chilled person she knew. A devoted fan of self-help books, Kathy had once told Em that you should stand in front of a mirror every day, look yourself in the eye and say affirming things. It was worth a go, she supposed.

‘It’s going to be a great holiday and everyone will get on brilliantly, and Charlotte won’t judge me,’ she mumbled to her reflection.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, is that seriously the best you can do? Rubbish! Try again, this time with a bit of oomph, Kathy chided her. She was quite bossy at times, for someone so laidback.

‘It’s going to be a great holiday and everyone will get on brilliantly, and Charlotte better not bloody well judge me,’ Em repeated to herself. Not so much with oomph as savagery, but never mind. It would have to do.

‘First sign of madness, you know, Mum,’ Jack said, passing the open bedroom door just then and making her jump.

She pulled a face at her reflection, hoping he hadn’t heard the details of her cringey mirror affirmation. ‘Only the first?’ she called back. ‘I’m doing better than I thought.’

Deep breath, she told herself, chucking the last few things into her case and heaving the zip along. Seren coming with them was not a disaster, just a slight change of plan. Charlotte turning up as well was not an experience to be dreaded, but a chance for Em to show her best self. Yeah! She would not let either of them ruin her perfect, romantic holiday, that was for sure. Em was a born optimist, after all. These two weeks away were going to be absolutely wonderful. The best.

‘Kids? Are you ready?’ she yelled as she lugged the suitcase downstairs. ‘Going in ten minutes. Repeat: ten minutes. Let’s do this!’

It was going to be a great holiday and everyone was going to get on brilliantly, she said once more under her breath as she put her shoes on. Just see if they didn’t!

Chapter Two

A skylark soared high above the old stone cottages that nestled in the dip of a wooded hillside, its sweet cheerful melody ringing through the air. The swimming pool was a perfect azure rectangle at the centre of the buildings, glinting and still as the sun rose steadily in the sky. A lone pink inflatable flamingo bobbed on the surface of the water, sent on a leisurely meandering circuit by the breeze. Nearby, amidst the clumps of fragrant lavender, a bee was bumping between the flower heads, humming busily to itself.