‘Slowly and sadly, I gather. Drew seems to think he’ll have to stay out there for most of the summer.’ Maddy’s heart plummeted.

Charlie carried on, happily. ‘Her father did most of the travelling and the selling. I fancy that he’s something of a hard act to follow. Drew seems set to stay out there until they’ve found a replacement. Are you missing him then, Mad?’

Shaking her head and almost spilling the shandy, Maddy attempted a laugh. ‘Of course not! Goodness, no! And I’d prefer it if we didn’t talk about Drew any more. There are far more interesting topics.’

Charlie, never one to delve beneath the surface, seemed quite happy to do just that and spent the rest of the evening regaling her with scurrilous racecourse stories. Maddy half-listened. She was getting very used to only half doing anything.

They walked back through the village in the sweltering darkness. It was very reminiscent of all those old Rod Steiger films set in the Deep South where people had back porch swings and listened sweatily to the alligators croaking in the bayou.

‘Am I coming in for coffee?’ Charlie asked cheerfully, his arm draped casually around Maddy’s shoulders, as they reached the cottage.

‘Is that euphemistic coffee or real coffee?’ Maddy fumbled for the door key.

‘Whatever you’re offering.’

‘Instant in a mug.’ Maddy grinned at him. ‘On opposite sides of the kitchen table.’

The telephone rang just as she was sloshing water on to the granules. Charlie loped across the hall and lifted the receiver. ‘Oh, hi.’ Maddy could hear him chatting. It was probably Suzy ringing from Newmarket. ‘Yeah, sure. No problem. I’ll get her.’

‘Coffee’s on the table.’ Maddy took the phone. ‘Make yourself at home.’

‘I’m sure he will,’ Drew’s voice growled in her ear. ‘I’m sure he already has.’

Maddy closed her eyes. Drew’s voice had aroused all the desires that Charlie’s body had failed to do. For the thousandth time she marvelled at the appalling timing of sexual attraction.

‘We’ve, er, just been to the Cat and Fiddle,’ she mumbled. ‘You know …’

‘Only too well.’

‘It’s very hot here,’ she gabbled lamely. ‘Is it hot out there?’

‘Yes.’

‘Oh, good.’

There was a ringing silence. She could hear Charlie mooching through her food cupboard. Drew sighed. ‘Maybe I should ring some other time. When you’re not so busy.’

She longed to be off-hand. It was difficult when she was practically kissing the phone and her toes were curling inside her sandals. ‘Why did you ring?’

His voice softened for a moment, then remembered and resumed its harshness. ‘Because I’m coming back to Milton St John at the end of the week.’

‘Oh. And, er, Caroline?’