With a quick glance at Dan, Archie said, “Apart from my community service, you know, cleaning parks, delivering meals to the elderly, that sort of thing, I’m about to start an apprenticeship with a landscaping company. If all goes to plan they could offer me a job and even sponsor me through agricultural college starting next year.”

“Wow! That’s a pretty amazing turnaround for someone who felt he didn’t have much of a future only a few weeks ago.”

“We’re extremely grateful,” Dan came in, sparing Archie’s need to answer, “for the way some members of the local community have reached out to help him.”

Feeling Dan’s arms circle her waist, Claudia leaned back into him and smiled as he pressed a kiss to her neck.

“You’re not watching that again,” he groaned, “I thought you’d have had more than enough of it by now.”

“Apparently not,” she responded, although she did switch the recording off before turning into his embrace.

He kissed her fully and tenderly, bringing her more closely to him as he murmured, “Where is everyone?”

“Jasmine’s at school, Mum and Henry are outside making plans to turn the old coach wash—aka the enormous sunken area between here and the Enclave—into a pond that’s already sounding like a mini lake. And Archie’s with them.”

Dan’s eyebrows rose as he regarded her carefully.

Claudia shrugged, clearly not altogether thrilled. “Mum thought it would be a good idea to consult him, given his budding interest in landscape gardening.”

Dan nodded as he thought. “So, this is now the second time she’s invited him here?”

“And I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last.”

“But you wish it would be?”

Sighing, she said, “I don’t know what I wish, but don’t you think it’s odd that she wants to keep seeing him? I mean, he would be a perfectly nice lad, if you could put aside what he did. But how can we put it aside? You’ve only got to look at her to be reminded of it.”

Dan said, “I admit it’s unusual for a relationship to develop between a victim and offender after the RJ process is over, but it’s not unheard of—and if it’s what she wants . . .”

“I think we can assume that it is. She even told me she thinks she’s looking better these days, and she’s putting it down to how good it’s making her feel to help him turn his life around. Honestly, it’s like she’s . . . I don’t know, like she’s drunk on forgiveness, or something, and can’t stop herself proving how much she means it, or how good she is at it.”

Brow furrowing, he said, “Whereas you are still having a problem with it?”