‘I’ll wait here. You can come back for me.’

Megan cheered up some more at the sight of Ben’s annoyed expression.

When they went to pick her up, she’d gone missing. Ben found her in the bar and his face grew even grimmer.

That pleased Megan.

When they arrived at the entrance to their block, Megan enjoyed watching Cynthia get out of Ben’s car with a sulky expression on her face and totter along in her high heels to open the rusty gate.

But there was no pleasure in allowing that woman on to their private territory. In fact, it felt as if they were bringing Plague Mary home with them.

Megan watched as Cynthia gulped audibly at the sight of the tiny shack and looked around to check that this was really it. Grinning, she led the way inside. ‘Welcome to our bijou country residence.’

The small bedroom was still unfurnished, so Cynthia couldn’t unpack, but the shop had promised to deliver the bed and other things that afternoon.

‘How about a walk down to the water?’ Megan asked once they had unloaded everything. ‘We’ll be able to hear anyone coming to deliver the bed if we don’t go too far.’

Cynthia yawned. ‘I’d much rather have a nice little G and T and put my feet up.’

‘Oh, sorry!’ said Megan briskly. ‘We forgot to buy any gin. In fact, I don’t think we have any alcohol here at all apart from a couple of cans of beer and one bottle of white wine.’

Ben looked sideways at her, as if he perfectly well understood that she had done that on purpose, and she found it hard to keep her face straight. So did he and they both had to look away from one another or they’d have burst out laughing.

‘Let’s go for that walk, then,’ Ben suggested.

Cynthia ignored that offer and glared at her hostess. ‘Well, I’ll just have to go out and buy us all something to drink, won’t I? My contribution to the weekend. I’ll leave you two country cousins to go walkabout here. Lend me your car keys, Ben.’

He hesitated, then handed the keys over.

‘Which way do I turn outside the gates?’

‘Right. You might as well go into Bunbury, which is closer. Sure you can find your way back?’

‘Oh, yes. Quite sure.’

Once Cynthia had gone, the quietness wrapped them round and they both let out long sighs of relief. Ben came and put his arms round Megan, standing holding her close. ‘I hope she takes all afternoon.’

‘So do I!’ In fact, Megan couldn’t understand why Cynthia had come with them at all, but it wouldn’t be wise to say so. ‘What did you do with your new mobile phone? Mine’s not working properly, I’m afraid.’