‘No, I’m fine.’ Unnerved by his closeness she moved away from him. ‘Race you back down to the picnic things!’

As she ran, making very sure of her footing, she wondered why she had run away from him. Was it him or herself she didn’t trust? As she collapsed in a heap by their belongings she knew it was her. She might do anything. If he asked her to go with him to a sheltered spot and suggested they made love, she might not say no. And she couldn’t. She had to leave soon and she already liked him too much to want to risk doing something she might later regret. She knew herself too well.

‘Well now,’ he said as he joined her. ‘Are you ready for tea? There’s fruit cake to have with it.’

‘Let’s wait, I couldn’t eat a thing now.’ Suddenly tired she lay on her back, listening to the sea and the sounds of the countryside: the occasional baa from a sheep; a distant tractor; seagulls. As she closed her eyes she realised she very rarely just enjoyed nature. Usually she’d have brought a book with her and while she would have appreciated her surroundings, she wouldn’t have given herself up to them in the same way.

A little later she opened her eyes and became aware of him next to her. Although she didn’t stir he must have sensed she was awake because he said, ‘You wouldn’t think you could take a nap in the outdoors in January, would you?’

She chuckled sleepily. ‘No, although of course we are very well wrapped up.’

‘And a good thing too, in my opinion. Although I can’t believe you fell asleep on me again!’

She swiftly changed the subject. ‘I must say this spot is very heaven. I can understand why you don’t want to leave it, although . . .’ she went on, ‘my literary festival would only mean you being away for a few days.’ She closed her eyes again against the sun.

He laughed. ‘To be honest, that’s not the reason I don’t like doing literary festivals any more.’

Knowing that he must have done hundreds of them when he was first published she didn’t need to ask for his reasons; he’d be bored stiff with them.

‘So,’ he went on, ‘why are you so eager to get me to come to yours?’

She would have liked to deny being eager – she hated to sound needy – but she couldn’t. Besides, it was surprisingly easy to talk while lying on your back with your eyes closed, knowing your companion was doing the same. ‘Well, we’ll get sponsorship if you come, that’s all. I was sent here on a mission to get you to come at all costs.’

‘Hm. I don’t like to be indelicate . . .’

She chuckled, ‘Well, I’ll pretend to believe you.’