‘I got halfway up without needing the harness and the angle is like this, Dad.’ The girl enthused and used her elbow to depict the steepness of the plastic wall. Johnny was happy to fund such pastimes, having in the past worried for his daughter spending too much time hanging about the park in Keswick or the centre of town in Penrith: neither were ideal for a girl on the cusp of sexual awakening. He was willing to hand out cash for most things that didn’t involve the opportunity to take drugs or drink.

Kids in Josie’s year at school threw wild parties and Kelly and Johnny both knew the prevalence of illegal drugs in the area; they’d both come across it at work. It appeared to be endemic. However, neither wanted to come across as bores. Too much conservatism, and the girl would be pushed the other way. Johnny regularly worried about how much pressure to apply, and, as a dad of a young girl, he relied heavily on Kelly’s intuition.

They heard banging in the kitchen and a whistle of steam.

‘Everything all right?’ Kelly shouted.

‘Yes! All under control,’ Ted replied.

Kelly knew from her conversations with her father that when he was with his ex-wife, she did everything around the house. He’d only began cooking properly since he left her. It was a shame, because he was good at it. Her stomach rumbled. Getting out onto the mountain had been the right thing to do. She and Johnny both felt irritable when they hadn’t been out together. She sank into the sofa next to him and he put his arm around her. Kelly barely caught Josie’s face before she turned away from them. It had been a look of approval and something else. Love? Not for a cool teenager surely. Like? Maybe. That would do.

‘So, you think you’ll keep it up, then, Josie? The climbing? Who else goes?’

‘Yes! It’s brilliant. I’m in a small group. There’s another girl and four guys. Callum is a beginner too.’

It was out. Kelly nudged Johnny as he went to say something and he stopped. Kelly smiled and Josie went to help Ted in the kitchen.

‘We have a name.’

‘Are you going to follow her?’ Johnny asked.

‘Why?’

‘You know? The talk.’

‘Not in front of Ted! That would embarrass the hell out of her.’

‘I didn’t mean in front of him. Maybe you could send him in here to set the table or something.’

Kelly saw that Johnny was nervous. She sighed and got up off the sofa. In the kitchen, Ted had his head in the oven, and almost banged it bringing out an enormous pot.

‘Smells delicious,’ Kelly said.

‘I’ll just take it through,’ he said. Kelly closed the door.