She should have known that such blissful calm couldn’t last. It came to an end during their second week at Lake Lodge and it started with a fight about Chase.

It was the first time Flora had heard Molly and Izzy argue.

Izzy was sitting on the kitchen floor, rubbing the tummy of an ecstatic Chase. “Aiden isn’t around today because he’s sailing with a group of friends—birthday celebration—so I’m spending the day with Chase. I’ve made a picnic and I’m taking him for a long walk, is that okay, Aunt Clare?”

“No!” Molly’s face crumbled. “He’s ours! He’s coming sailing. Daddy promised.”

“He’s not yours. And anyway, you’ve had him all week. It’s my turn.” Izzy’s voice was level. “You can play with him later, when you’re back from sailing.”

“I want to play with him in the boat. He loves swimming.”

Izzy stopped rubbing and Chase gave a whine of protest. “I’ll take him swimming.”

“You can’t swim on your own. It’s not allowed.”

Flora felt a hard knot in her stomach. The sudden tension stressed her.

Family life, she told herself. This was just family life. It was simply that she wasn’t used to it. What could she do? Say? She almost offered to go with Izzy, but then stopped herself. What use was she as a lifeguard? And anyway, she shouldn’t take a side.

The day would work out, one way or another.

Jack and Todd were taking Molly sailing and Flora and Clare had planned to spend another relaxed morning in the garden. The day before they’d been to the garden center and Flora was looking forward to a day of planting and fresh air. She and Jack had sneaked into the same room for the past few nights and the result was a dizzying combination of ecstasy and exhaustion.

A day in the garden was just what she needed. An easy friendship was developing between her and Clare and she’d pictured a few delicious hours of gardening, chat and maybe a short nap in the sun.

She enjoyed the calm of it, basked in the easy friendship that was developing between her and Clare, but she could already see from the spark in Izzy’s eye and the pout on Molly’s lips that calm and conversation were unlikely to be coming her way today.

Izzy looked at her father. “Do you want me to come sailing with you?”

Jack was sorting through waterproofs. “Aren’t you hanging out with Aiden today?”

“He had plans he couldn’t change. So I could easily help out.”

“That’s a kind offer, but we’ll be fine.” He stuffed Molly’s wet suit into a bag. “You have a great day doing your own thing for once. We can manage without you.”