‘Hannah, are you sure you’re all right?’ Rob asked insistently.

‘Just tired, suddenly,’ she said. It wasn’t a lie because the confusion of feelings on top of the long day had hit her. ‘I’ll sit with Mum and Dad.’ Her legs felt like noodles as she made her way to where Mo and Jeremy had set up camp in a corner. Nan was chatting to Nettie, a foster sister Mo had kept in touch with. Jeremy’s sister, Hannah’s Aunt Sally, was squealing with laughter. Jeremy was telling someone which European countries he and Mo wanted to visit in the camper van. Hannah smiled at her mum’s cousins and Nan’s village friends and took a seat on the edge of the group.

Although she assumed a listening expression, her mind scurried around like a mouse looking for a way out of a maze. Last night she’d seen her lovely grandmother upset that Brett had wanted to make legal provisions ahead of their marriage. But, putting herself on the other side of the fence, she wouldn’t have minded the comfort of she and Albin having agreed up front what happened at the end of their relationship.

She might have thought herself ready to second-guess her decision … if she wasn’t watching for Nico to come back.

Upstairs, Nico let himself into the hotel room, the TV flickering quietly in the corner, the babysitter seated comfortably in the bedroom armchair while she watched a cop drama. Her name was Jean and she had a round, motherly face it was easy to trust. ‘She’s just about gone off again,’ she whispered.

‘Thanks.’ He crouched by Josie, whose eyes fluttered open and then closed again. Her hair stuck out, crinkly from her earlier plait. He watched her even breathing, her hand curled on her pillow. Maria slept with her nose squashed and her bum in the air and didn’t move a muscle.

‘I’m fine for another hour or two if you want to go back,’ Jean whispered, starting a new row of knitting.

‘Thanks. Just ring again any time.’ He jogged back down the red-carpeted main staircase, relishing the dizzy feeling of responsibility floating off his shoulders. He had a warm buzz on, too, after a typical wedding combination of sherry, wine and fizz … and dancing with a beautiful woman. It beat the hell out of feeling stressed and rushed. Maybe he ought to think about regular weekends in the country. Earlier, he’d been talking to one of Rob’s mates he remembered from the old days – Ratty. He had some longer, very English-sounding name but everyone called him Ratty. Ratty owned several village cottages and Nico wished he could afford to rent one as a bolthole.

At the foot of the stairs he hesitated, seeing Amanda Louise lurking in apparent casualness at the door to the function room, tossing her head about as if inviting everyone to admire her blonde locks.