‘She’s not scared of your dad. She’s a risk-taker and she enjoys the thrill of it. But anyway, Gary gets led astray, and my parents don’t think it bodes well. They trust me more than him.’

Bex felt the need to defend her sister, even though Kirsty never defended her. ‘Maybe he leads Kirsty astray.’

Anna laughed. ‘I don’t think anyone leads Kirsty anywhere.’ There was a hint of admiration in Anna’s voice.

Bex wanted to change the subject. She was sure Anna must be wrong about Kirsty. ‘Do you want to take over the abattoir?’ she said.

Anna sighed. ‘It’s a good business, I suppose …’

‘You shouldn’t feel you have to run it if you don’t want to.’

They were getting further from Bex being able to ask about Daniel. It would sound odd if she just shoved it into the conversation now. If she asked whether she should be worried about him.

But then Anna changed the subject: ‘Are you getting on all right with your dad?’ she asked. ‘It must be strange. When did you last see him before this summer?’

Bex felt a stab of embarrassment. ‘A couple of years ago. He comes to visit me at my aunt’s. Not that often – but it’s not because he doesn’t want to see me. It’s just … he can’t leave the animals, and my aunt doesn’t like coming to Gritton. So it’s hard. But we get on fine.’

‘It’s not awkward then?’

Bex hesitated. Pictured her dad showing her how to hold the cone out for the pig, when to click, how to offer the food away from her body so the pig wouldn’t mug her. He wasn’t a great talker but she was sure he cared about her. It had been worth coming to visit. ‘It’s been all right actually,’ she said.

‘Why won’t your aunt come to Gritton?’

‘I don’t know. She and my dad fell out years ago. She doesn’t like to talk about it and nor does he.’

Bex looked up to see Kirsty walking across the field from the house, hand in hand with a boy. It was Lucas, Gary’s friend. The nice-boy sidekick to bad-boy Gary. Any of the girls who didn’t fancy Gary had Lucas to gush over. Daniel walked next to them, slightly apart.

Bex noticed a rabbit hopping across the field. It moved in a weird way.

‘I think Lucas might be too wimpy for Kirsty,’ Anna whispered. ‘She’ll eat him alive. Gary likes you, by the way.’

A flush of adrenaline in Bex’s stomach. ‘He does not.’

‘Yep. He does. Do you like him?’