Izzie started twizzling her hair round one finger, her face practically aglow with her smile. ‘Well, I met this boy yesterday . . .’

‘Oh, you did, did you?’

‘And I was wondering . . . Could I maybe meet him this afternoon? He’s called Fraser and he just texted to see if I was around.’

‘I see.’ Oh goodness. Fraser. Was this Izzie’s first holiday romance waiting to unfurl and blossom? It had to happen sooner or later, she supposed. ‘And . . . do you think I would approve of this Fraser? Is he nice to you? How old is he?’ She had to snap her mouth shut before she went full Spanish Inquisition.

‘He’s really nice,’ said Izzie. ‘He’s seventeen and . . . Well, I approve, so . . .’

Em smiled. A very diplomatic answer. ‘Then . . . yes. Sure. Do you want me to give you a lift somewhere?’ She remembered then how they’d driven past Izzie just as they’d got back to the cottage yesterday, how sparkly-eyed and radiant she had looked, despite the drenching rain, despite the slog uphill on her bike. With the drama of Charlotte arriving and Dom’s phone call, it hadn’t even occurred to Em to wonder where her daughter had been all day. Getting to know this Fraser, apparently. Nice, seventeen-year-old, approval-worthy Fraser. It was all happening, this week, that was for sure.

‘It’s okay, I’ll go on my bike,’ Izzie replied.

‘Okay, well . . .’ Em felt she should be giving Izzie a lecture here, a list of dos and don’ts, but perhaps she wasn’t the best-qualified person to give any kind of dating advice. So instead she gave her a hug and said, ‘Have a lovely time. Keep me posted, won’t you? He can join us for dinner if you want or . . .’

Em stopped again, because Izzie was giving her a look. ‘I’m going,’ she said, ducking out of the room again with a smile. Then she went along and knocked on Jack’s door. ‘Looks like it’s just me and you this afternoon, kid,’ she said to him. ‘Any ideas?’

The earlier rain had blown right away and the sun shone over the south-west for the next few hours, gilding the corn fields, glittering off the rivers as they wound down to the sea, and prompting sunglasses and sun-cream applications everywhere.

Following their zip-slide adrenalin rush – and yes, they did buy the souvenir photos and fridge magnet – Maggie and Amelia tried a terrifying giant swing that had them both shrieking as they swung out from a cliff edge at dizzying height. After a restorative ice cream, they ventured to the go-karts where Maggie found herself laughing so hard, she could hardly breathe. I’ve got my girl back, she thought joyfully as Amelia took a selfie of them together afterwards. Even better, I think I might have got myself back too.