‘That sounds complicated,’ said Laura, having decided it was better not to watch him move about the place, stark naked, not if she was going to have to wait before they could make love again. Her hunger was momentarily forgotten.

‘Oh, it’s not,’ said Dermot. ‘They have it in a packet. You just put it in a pan, add butter and a bit of cream and heat slowly. They get it in especially for me at the shop. Thank goodness they’re keeping their holiday hours or they wouldn’t be open yet.’ He pulled on his jeans. He was halfway into his shirt when he hesitated.

‘What?’ Laura was half hoping that he had forgotten his hunger too and just wanted to get back into bed.

‘Nothing.’ He carried on getting dressed.

Laura watched him, thinking, and then said, ‘I’ve just realised what the problem is.’ She sat up. ‘If you go to the shop there’ll be an almighty fuss, everyone will pounce on you and you’ll be ages.’

He grinned. ‘I’ll be looking so damn pleased with myself they’ll know exactly what I’ve been up to. They will all want to talk.’

Laura scrambled out of bed. ‘I’ll go. I can’t lie here, starving to death, waiting for you to stop gossiping. Make me a list. Here’s an old receipt and a pencil.’

He chuckled and started to write. ‘Being untidy has its advantages, you can always find something to write on.’

‘I thought writers all kept notebooks by their beds.’

‘Not all writers.’

She had got most of her clothes on when she turned to Dermot, who had slid back to bed, still wearing his jeans. ‘Can I just ask you something?’

‘Anything.’

His look was so full of lust she turned away, smiling. That could come later, when she’d had something to eat. ‘Did you change the sheet yesterday, before you came down, because you knew what would happen?’

‘I changed it because I knew what I wanted to happen, but I never thought it would. It was also pretty disgusting. I may be a slob but I change my bed linen once a year, whether it needs it or not.’

Laughing, she went downstairs and, having found her handbag, let herself out of the house.

She was fairly sure everyone would know exactly what she’d been up to when she went back to the shop but, with luck, the same people wouldn’t be working there this morning. She thought what to add to Dermot’s list; she wasn’t sure she wanted to eat kedgeree, although it did sound nice. Some more bread and ham would be useful and maybe some orange juice and croissants if the shop had any.