‘What is this Wolf Moon Lap?’

She told him about her eccentric great-grandfather’s annual challenge. ‘After he died, so much of the stud’s land had to be sold to cover inheritance tax and other debts that the Wolf Moon Lap became little more than a ten-furlong circuit you could get round in less time than it took to play a pop song, so Grumps redrew it to include a loop around Compton windmill, making it the same length Frank would have galloped. He never made it back before Saturn kicked in. He used to say if any Compton horse did, it would make our fortune.’

‘What a fantastic challenge!’

His enthusiasm took her by surprise. ‘I told Lester we should add it to your job description.’

‘Sure, I’d have a go, wouldn’t you?’ His eyebrows shot up beneath the blond curls.

Amused, Pax looked away, taken by surprise by sharp tug of conscience. I would give every star in the sky to see it.

‘Sure, horses are in your blood. It’s why your boy loves that wee pony out there,’ said Luca.

‘Here we go.’ Pax gave him a wise look. ‘Kes has to live in a real world. I was far too cossetted.’ She eyed the little figure in the photograph with her toes and nose up, wanting to warn her to break free sooner. ‘Up to the age of ten or eleven, I thought everybody had ponies. Look at me here…’ She moved across a few squares and tapped herself at fifteen flying across country, red ponytail like sea-spray, face of the Virgin Mary. ‘I was like one of those characters from vintage pony books, brought up here with hunting-mad grandparents, educated in living museums as far from civilisation as school fees could buy, riding every free moment. It might as well have been the fifties. Immersive doesn’t begin to describe it.’

‘No wonder Bay took advantage of you.’

‘He didn’t,’ she said quickly. ‘I was still wrestling with my conscience whether to let him near my bra clasp when he slept with Mummy.’

‘I wish I’d known you then.’ His eyes glittered as he studied the photograph.

‘I was only interested in horses.’

‘So was I.’

Eager to stop talking about herself, she headed towards the door again. ‘Would you have galloped up the drive on your Vanner cob to overthrow the status quo?’

‘I’m not much of an overthrower.’

‘More underhand then?’ Looking out through the upper-door panes she could just make out Kes and her mother still hanging over the gate to the stallion paddock, nose to nose.

‘Call it a quiet rebellion. We’ll get you back on a horse.’

‘Don’t be so sure.’ When she turned back, his smile was in its usual spot.

‘Ronnie thinks you’ve lost your nerve.’

‘She can think what she likes.’ Zipping up her coat, Pax held the door open.

‘You’re so funny when you talk about her; your eyes pop.’

‘They do not.’

‘Do.’

She rolled her eyes.