‘Till next mail day. I’m flying out on that awful little plane.’ She shuddered. ‘And apparently it goes everywhere, so it’ll be a long trip.’

‘Other places need their mail too, Mum,’ Tilly reminded her.

‘Well, in that case . . . How would you like a drive tomorrow? I could take you down to the coast. A different sea to the one you know. What do you say? Maybe Tilly could come too?’

‘Yes, take a day, Till,’ Sophie seconded. ‘I’ll be home. We’ve done what we can at Sandstone, and I need to draft a report with my recommendations for the site.’ She looked hopefully at her aunt. ‘You said you were cooking ahead? Is there something in the freezer I could defrost for tomorrow night?’

Elaine nodded. ‘Beef casserole. I’ll get it out in the morning. Thank you, Connor. That would be lovely. So, lunch? Or is it a short trip?’

‘Nothing’s short out here, Mum. You’ll see why tomorrow. Make a time, Connor, and we’ll be ready. And thank you. It’s very thoughtful of you.’

‘Not at all, ladies,’ he said, right eye dropping in a wink at Tilly. ‘I hope you’ll enjoy it, but the pleasure will be entirely mine.’

‘It’s early days, but I must say I like your man,’ Elaine confided the next morning as she and Tilly worked on the lunches. ‘Is he Irish? He’s got a sort of blarney charm about him.’

‘With a name like Doyle it’s very possible. Maybe his grandparents, or their grandparents.’

‘He has a kind manner,’ Elaine decided. ‘A botanist – that’s different. So what’s he doing out here, or is he on holiday?’

‘Research work. Some land development thing through the university, I think,’ Tilly said vaguely. ‘He studies vegetation for them, tracks the spread of noxious weeds. Something like that. I haven’t really been into it.’ If her mother wanted more detail, then Connor would have to tell his own lies. She had better not say anything that he might later contradict. Changing the subject, she said, ‘It was a lovely dinner. A great evening, in fact. I’m sure the others thought so too. Connor certainly did.’

‘You were a long time saying goodnight.’

‘I’m not a teenager, Mum!’

‘No, of course not.’ Elaine smiled lovingly at her daughter. ‘I hope he’s good for you. I think he will be. Maybe it’s experience, but you’re not so anxious to please this time, and that makes for a more balanced relationship.’