She turned to a lady, who had a kind face. Where have I come? What is this place?

The Old West, my darling, that’s where you are. Don’t be afraid, you won’t come to harm.

How could it be? Evangeline thought, as she tried to remember what she’d been taught.

Cowboys and Indians belonged in the past, how had she managed to get so lost.

‘I got lost once,’ Tui says. ‘But you found me.’

It feels like so long ago now, the incident at the Dart River, me wading into the water after Beavis and almost getting swept away. I’m touched that Tui remembers it. She seems to forget so many things, but then she’ll surprise me by recounting some events in almost spooky detail. But then I suppose that day was a dramatic one by anyone’s standards.

I don’t get to read anymore of the story, because at that moment Bonnie hurries in with a saddle over her arm, looking harassed.

‘Oh good,’ she says, ‘you’re both here. I completely forgot that I agreed to teach an extra lunge lesson at five. Genie, can you take Tui home? There’s some leftover casserole in the fridge.’

‘Sounds good,’ I tell her, laughing as Tui starts jumping up and down and clapping her hands together with excitement. Being with my brilliant sister never fails to make me happy, but as we gather our things ready to leave and I sneak another look at my phone, I cannot help but feel a little downcast.

Kit has still not replied to my message.

‘Can we go to the park?’ Tui begs, putting both her feet up on the dashboard of my car. I bought it off Griff a few months ago, and it’s arguably in an even worse state than the old wreck Bonnie drives.

‘Now?’ I reply, gently pushing them back down again and reminding her to fasten her seatbelt. ‘But aren’t you hungry?’

‘Yes.’ Tui pulls a face. ‘But the park first, that’s all.’

I do a quick calculation. It will take us forty minutes to reach Queenstown Gardens and Tui’s beloved tyre swing beside the lake. We’ll have to eat dinner in town, but then, that’s not such a bad thing. I deserve a good feed after twenty-five hours of microwaved inflight mush, and it’s always a joy to spoil Tui. I can show her photos of my baby godson Ludo in his long white Christening gown – I know she’ll find that just as hilarious as I did.