Several boats, large and small, were trailing across the water, cormorants were fishing and pelicans were coming in to land like miniature Boeing 747s. Suddenly she saw a fin and grabbed his arm. ‘Is that what I think it is?’

‘A dolphin.’

‘Yes. Oh, and look, it’s a mother and baby. I’ve never seen them in the wild before. It looks like it’s attached to her by elastic.’

‘They come up here often.’ He grinned at her excitement and gave her a quick hug.

Although the morning was cool, the sun was shining and the sky was as blue as if it were summer. She breathed in the salty air and let it out in a long, happy sigh. ‘This is absolutely marvellous, Ben!’

‘Do you fancy a cup of coffee before we leave?’

‘I’d love one. And a scone, perhaps?’

He rolled his eyes. ‘Your appetite will be the ruin of me!’

‘Well, you’re rich enough to keep me in cake, aren’t you?’ It was the first time she’d felt truly comfortable joking about his wealth.

They sat outside a café near the waterfront at a white plastic table.

‘What is a rich man like you doing in a place like this, Ben Saunders?’ she asked, eyes dancing with amusement. ‘Cheap plastic tables, no tablecloths!’

He laughed. ‘Well, you did say you were tired of luxury hotels! And anyway, I’m getting hungry now.’

The food was good and the service cheerful. She watched Ben eat some currant toast with his coffee and then go on to demolish two freshly-baked scones, while she ate a huge piece of carrot cake.

‘Remember Edinburgh,’ he said softly, ‘and the café there?’

‘I felt such a fool, being carried like that.’

‘You’re no one’s fool, Megan.’

It was nice to receive a compliment, but she would have rather had a ‘Darling’ or two. She swallowed hard on that longing and said brightly, ‘What do we do about food for the rest of the day? And are there beds and bedding at this shack of yours?’

‘A double bed and bedding, yes. Not much food, apart from a few tins. I usually drive somewhere and pick up a take-away. But,’ he smiled and raked her body with his eyes, ‘I might be too busy to do that, so I suppose we’d better go and buy some supplies. Are you a good cook?’

‘Not bad. And you?’

‘Terrible. I’ve never really had time to learn.’

‘I’ll have to teach you, then. It’d get boring being the only one doing the cooking.’

He blinked in obvious surprise. ‘All right. You’re on.’

She hid her amusement. If he wasn’t liberated about sharing the chores now, he would be by the time they’d been together for a while. She didn’t intend to turn into a resident housekeeper and general factotum like her friend Sandy.