‘I’m hardly a girl. I’m thirty-five.’

She felt she had to tell him. While he could probably guess, she liked to be open about these things. Unlike Molly, who would die before letting anyone know how old she was.

‘Thirty-five is the perfect age for girls.’

‘Is that so?’

‘It is indeed so. I’m an expert on these matters.’

‘So how old are you? It’s only fair that you should tell me.’

‘I’m twenty-eight, which is the perfect age for boys.’

‘But too young for girls of thirty-five.’

‘Would you like me to prove you wrong about that?’

Thea woke up enough to see the glint in his eye, which told her not to push the point. ‘I think I’ll take your word for it.’ Then, because she didn’t want to close the door for ever on something which might be very pleasant, she added, ‘For now, at least.’

‘Good things are worth waiting for,’ he said.

Thea, in an attempt to change the mood and get herself out of her recumbent position, pushed at the dog’s head. ‘I really should visit the bathroom.’ The dog’s head moved with a huge groan and Thea fought her way to the front of the sofa. ‘If you could tell me where it is.’

‘Go through that door.’ He pointed, but did not get up himself. ‘And it’s on the left.’

Thea took a couple more gulps of tea and hauled herself upright.

‘While you’re there, you could take a look at the little bedroom. You might fancy it. It’s got two single beds in it, one on each side of the room. Very chaste.’

Thea ignored this remark but did inspect the room, which was much as he described. It was pretty, but felt a bit chilly. It was obviously part of a later extension and the walls didn’t have the thickness of those in the main part of the house.

When she got back she found that Rory had refilled the glasses. She sat back down next to Lara, wondering if it was wise to drink so much on an empty stomach.

‘I dare say you’ll be wanting something to eat,’ said Rory. ‘Which presents a bit of a problem. I was going to eat at the pub.’

The thought of getting up, making herself look presentable and going out made her feel suddenly exhausted, but she moved her features about as if this were what she wanted to do most.

‘On the other hand, you may not fancy a longish drive at this time of night when you’ve only just arrived.’ He grinned. ‘If I’d known you were coming, I’d have baked a cake …’

‘I really am being a dreadful nuisance.’

‘Not at all. I wouldn’t have invited you if I hadn’t wanted you to come. I’m just not that much of a cook.’