Toby chuckled loudly before shushing himself as he remembered Lara. Thea giggled, not just because the picture he created appealed to her, but because she hadn’t realised Ben did jokes.

‘And before you ask, no, we can’t have one.’

‘Aw, Dad!’ It was obviously a stock phrase, uttered when something utterly unreasonable was denied.

Ben laughed. ‘Don’t “Aw, Dad” me. You know we couldn’t have a huge dog in London. He patted his son’s shoulder. ‘And as it might be ages before the next one, we might as well have a cup of tea and you could have your baked potato, Tobe.’

‘I’ll get it,’ said Thea, seeing he was about to do it and not wanting the role of midwife. ‘I feel I should make Lara a cup of tea too, as she’s just had a baby, and without swearing or anything.’

‘Do women swear when they have babies?’ Toby asked her.

Thea nodded. ‘I’m not an expert because I’ve never had one myself, but when it’s on telly they sometimes use the most dreadful language.’ Then, realising that she might have said something she shouldn’t, she retreated to the kitchen where she knew what she was doing.

‘There’s no need to run. Toby won’t starve to death, will you?’

Toby laughed and then yawned.

‘Would you like tea, or something stronger?’ Thea called. ‘Ben?’

‘Better stick with tea. Lara’s probably going to be fine, but if we do have to find a vet in the middle of the night I’d like all my wits about me.’

As Thea grated cheese, mashed potato and made tea, she realised she found Ben’s attitude to alcohol and driving reassuring. Rory was rather gung-ho about it.

When Toby had eaten his meal but there was no sign of more pups imminently, Thea said, ‘I don’t suppose you’d like to pop into bed? I could get you a hot-water bottle. There’s one hanging up in the bathroom. We could call you when Lara’s next puppy starts coming.’

Ben opened his mouth, as if to argue with this arrangement and Thea realised she’d probably made a dreadful faux pas. ‘Or whatever Ben thinks is best,’ she added, copping out.

‘No, that would be fine,’ said Ben. ‘Would you like to be woken, Toby, or would you prefer to find all the puppies born in the morning?’

‘I’ll see if I get to sleep. If I don’t, I can watch the puppies, but if I do, I’ll just see them in the morning.’

‘I’ll do you a hot-water bottle and show you the bed, then. It’s very close, so you probably won’t miss anything.’

‘After you’ve done your teeth,’ added Ben, giving Thea a glance which seemed a reproach.