‘We’re both here for the grand tour.’ Bridge stepped forward, looking eagerly at Carly who realised too late she was expected to introduce her. ‘Pax invited us.’

‘Oh, she’s still baking I think,’ Ronnie said brightly, straightening up. ‘We’ve got time to go through the basics. Luca!’

‘Yeah, great,’ came the Belfast drawl, ‘but the thing is, queen, we’ve got the kids—’

‘You’ll look after them, won’t you?’ Ronnie cut off a now shocked-looking Bridge. ‘I recognise you from the village. What beautiful children you have. Have you been skiing, little chap?’ she asked Zak, his face weirdly bronzed now that Carly looked at him. He let out hiccupy giggles as small dogs crowded round the buggies, the two matching black and tans and Lester’s wire-haired terrier with his Tom Jones beard full of crumbs.

‘Where’s your big lurcher?’ Ronnie turned to Carly again.

‘At home with Ash. Mrs Bullock says she frightens some of the mums.’ Poor Pricey – another scar-faced female – had been banned from school pickup.

‘As does Battleaxe Bullock herself, I gather.’ Ronnie whistled hers closer. ‘Do bring her here when you work; there are kennels if she’s a bother. We’re thrilled you can help cover weekends. The pay’s not much as you know, but we can throw in lots of lessons.’

‘I don’t want lessons.’ Ash hated the idea, and Carly only had to look at Bridge’s lip to remind herself why. She preferred equine company from the ground. ‘I don’t want to ride.’

‘Heal, Carly!’ Ronnie was already striding away with the rug.

‘Did she just say that?’ whispered Bridge, still in shock. ‘Like you’re a dog?’

‘H-e-a-l-ing lessons, not riding lessons!’ Ronnie continued shouting over her shoulder as she marched out through the archway. ‘I’ve already told Luca he must harness that gift of yours. He’ll talk you through the weekend routine when I can find him. Luca!’

‘Do you think she expects me to go with her?’ Carly asked Bridge, looking around for Ellis, whose red nylon book bag was abandoned nearby.

‘You stay put,’ Bridge scowled. ‘I’m with Ash on this. Talk about stuck-up. And she was rude about Mrs B.’

‘I want this job,’ Carly reminded her in an undertone.

Ronnie was still bellowing in the adjacent yard. ‘Luca! Come and give this pretty girl your number and talk to her about Saturday. Where is he?’ She marched out of sight.

Carly and Bridge waited awkwardly for a moment, Jackson letting out squawks of protest as the dogs raced away after their mistress.

‘Get off that, Ellis!’ Carly spotted him balancing precariously on the stone mounting block steps.

Their wait stretched on, Jackson’s nappy now full judging by the smell.

‘Does Pax even know we’re here?’ asked Carly.

Bridge looked around. ‘I don’t know which bit she lives in. This cake had better be worth it or I’m fecking right off.’ She winked to reassure Carly it was a joke, their senses of humour not always on the same page.