Connor laughed. ‘Good Lord! What’s that, a Temperance slogan?’

‘Actually,’ she said, ‘I think it was advertising for the middle classes.’ She rinsed the pot, made the tea and piled mugs, sugar and a handful of biscuits onto a tray. ‘Shall we go outside? It’ll be nice in the sun and I can keep an eye on the road.’ And too bad if Matt happened to spot them from the shed. It would teach him to keep his nose out of her affairs.

It was pleasant on the verandah, the air so still that the flutter of wings from the bird basin sounded clearly. Connor squinted at the river bank. ‘You can just glimpse the water. You certainly picked a peaceful spot when you came here. Do you get many repeat visitors?’

‘Oh, yes, according to Sophie. Some even have their preferred camp sites and ask for them. And many of the first-timers tell us they’ll be back. Though, maybe,’ she added ruefully, ‘the Wellaways won’t be among them.’

‘Perhaps not. Though the girl could just be super-sensitive to the toxin of whatever bit her. Have you ever had a centipede nip you?’

Tilly grimaced. ‘Once. Very painful. One of the fishermen told me to cut an onion and rub the juice on the spot. It helped. I felt a bit sick, but nothing like poor Jane.’

‘Well, she’s in good hands now. Though her father’ll have a worrying day. You said he’d already been held up – what was that about?’

‘Oh.’ The incident with Matt had temporarily eclipsed what she had learnt that morning. Tilly had already debated telling Sophie and decided against it. Her cousin would either question her sanity or worry about her emotional strength. Matt’s behaviour had ruled him out as a confidante, and Luke, who must by now have met or spoken to all the campers, wasn’t available. Connor, however, was a disinterested presence, and she did want to talk about it, she realised. If just to be convinced that her mind was playing tricks. ‘Something a bit odd,’ she said hesitantly, then went on to explain.

Connor heard her out in silence, then frowned. ‘That can’t have been very pleasant for you,’ he said sympathetically. ‘How good a look did you get at him? I mean, is – was – your husband very distinctive in appearance?’

Tilly raised her hands helplessly. ‘Gerry was very good looking. Sort of . . . rakish and carefree, if you know what I mean. He had dark, wavy hair and an infectious smile. Easy to recognise. The way he held his head and wore his hat, I could have sworn . . .’ She paused. ‘It was such a shock but of course it wasn’t him – I know that. But I also know that the other man wasn’t the same as the first man—’ She stopped, sighing. ‘If that makes any sense?’