Wild, and certainly different. After the fight at Linus Pole’s fairground and that sorting-out he’d done with the biker gang at John’s place, Josh had found himself much in demand with all sorts of people: boxing promoters, club owners, they all wanted him, and the pay was out of this world. But after he’d failed to find Claire there was a sadness that he couldn’t shake off. The pain and the guilt because it was all his fault refused to leave him be. He’d sold the new trailer, given up on the dream of him and her together. This was going to be his life now, and he wished he felt happier about it.

Shauna was picking over her fish with a critical eye. She flicked a glance up at Josh’s face. He seemed miles away, and that irritated her. Was he still thinking about her? That thought soured her delight at her pregnancy. But Josh was going to marry her. He’d just said it! So he must love her a bit. Maybe. Ah, she was seeing shadows where there were none, imagining he was thinking of Claire when he was just a bit distracted.

‘Not too keen on this place,’ she said. ‘Look at the state of this!’ She prodded at the fish with her fork disdainfully.

This was a four-star establishment, but still she wasn’t impressed. Josh, keen to keep in shape, had told her all the gym equipment in the hotel basement was on its last legs and the steam room was out of order. In their room, ants crawled and the maid didn’t have a clue how to clean. Where Shauna came from, that was a cardinal sin. Gypsy women were great home-makers.

And they said there was a chef in the hotel kitchen? That ponce couldn’t fry a piece of fish without leaving it raw in the middle; the idiot couldn’t even boil an egg without letting it boil dry and scalding the shell. Gypsy women never gave people food poisoning, either, and she’d heard rumours about this place from the other guests. Next place they stayed in would be five-star. They could afford it. Or . . .

‘I’ve been thinking. We can’t keep flitting from hotel to hotel, not with a baby on the way,’ she said, watching his face. Christ, he was so handsome. What a fantastic man, and he was all hers! ‘It’s time we settled somewhere, don’t you think? You’re doing so well with the fights and stuff. We could buy a house.’