Clouds scudded across the sky, darkening the landscape and making the possibility of taking good photographs slight. Thea decided to get up early – earlier than Rory – to try to get a start on the day. Morning light would be best for the photographs anyway.

‘So, how did you get on today?’ Rory asked her, as he came down from his studio, paint-spattered but happy.

‘I’ve got the film, but I won’t start doing them until tomorrow. The light’s not good now, and if I get an early start I might get them done and off by the afternoon. What about you? Did you finish your horse?’

He made a face. ‘I tell you what, the thought that I might never have to paint another one lent wings to my brush. Whiskey?’

‘Yes, please.’ Thea watched him pour the drinks. ‘I’m cold.’

He handed her a glass with a frown. ‘I told you to borrow anything you needed. Didn’t you ask Susan to find you a jumper or something?’

‘No. She did take me into town, though.’

‘I’m glad about that. She can be a bit prickly, but she’d do anything for you.’

‘I think she’d do anything for you, Rory.’

‘Really? What do you mean?’

‘Nothing.’ If Rory didn’t know about Susan’s crush it was hardly fair for her to tell him. ‘Now, I bought some steak in town. Would you like oven chips or baked potatoes? I told Susan … I told Susan I would do the cooking while I was staying. I think she might find it awkward, us sharing a kitchen.’

‘That’s fine by me. Did anyone ever tell you that you’re a lovely girl?’

She couldn’t help responding to the mischievous twinkle in his eyes, but she tried not to show it. ‘Does that mean oven chips?’

‘It means whatever you want it to mean. Here’s to your fine eyes.’

Thea concealed a little shiver of flattered excitement and took her drink into the kitchen. ‘I’ll get dinner started, then.’

Rory followed her lazily. ‘I’ll find a nice bottle of red wine to open, then I’ll gee up the fire a bit. Would you like some music on or shall we just talk?’

‘I’m easy. What would you prefer?’

‘I must admit that after a day with nothing but my own company it’s nice to have someone to talk to. And the advantage of having the sitting room and kitchen connected is that the cook need not miss any of the crack.’

‘Crack?’

‘Irish for chat, gossip, or even high philosophy.’

She chuckled and, having found an onion, began searching for a knife to chop it with. ‘Well, speaking as the cook, I’d hate to miss out on any discussion on Nietzsche that might be going.’

Rory stretched and then made up the fire. Lara groaned and shuffled about, finding it difficult to get comfortable.