‘Yes, thanks.’ Sophie stood up. ‘I just came out to enjoy the sunset.’

‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it?’ said Mr Dempster. He came and stood next to her, looking out across the river. ‘Do you remember me telling you that when I see beauty like this I feel … well, something close to religious? And I promised you that I’d explain that better if you asked me about it again. But you never did.’

Sophie plucked a blade of grass and began splitting it into strips with her thumbnail. Briefly she thought of her siblings and the spaghetti-grass game. She was deliciously conscious of the fact that she was standing by a river in France at sunset talking about religion with a grown-up man.

‘It’s all right, sir,’ she said. ‘I knew what you meant.’

‘What did I mean?’

‘Well … I think you meant that you don’t really believe in God. Otherwise you would have just said yes you did.’

Mr Dempster smiled. ‘You’re a clever girl. So … is there anything you want to ask me?’

Sophie thought. ‘Just one thing.’

‘What?’

‘Do you get scared when you think about dying?’

‘Good question.’ Mr Dempster frowned, and Sophie could tell he was deciding whether or not to tell the truth. ‘I suppose the answer’s yes, sometimes. But it scares me much more to think about the people I love dying.’

‘I get that too,’ said Sophie. ‘Even though I do actually believe in God. Sort of.’ With her right index finger she drew a small cross on the inside of her left palm: her private method for undoing any potential blasphemy in case God did, after all, exist. Then she did it again to atone for the sin of making fun of Mr Dempster over lunch, especially as he was being so nice now.

Her soul thus absolved, Sophie threw her head back and breathed in deeply. ‘You know what, sir? When I remember this week I think I’ll remember it as two colours, green and gold, just dancing in front of my eyes like the sun in those trees.’

‘Mmmm, very impressionistic,’ said Mr Dempster.

Sophie had heard the stifled amusement in his voice. ‘Did that sound really stupid?’

‘No, no, not at all.’

‘Okay,’ said Sophie, not quite convinced.

They stood in silence for a bit. Then Sophie grew bored, thanked him for the chat, and ran back inside to join the others.

* * *