I watch as he chews the inside of his cheek. Kit has so many tattoos decorating his arms that it’s hard to tell where one ends and another begins.

A bird lets out a deep, echoing caw from amongst the trees, and Kit and I look up simultaneously into the dense tangle of branches high above.

‘If it makes you feel any better, I’ve always been a useless girlfriend,’ I confess, smiling when his eyes widen in surprise. ‘I have always been too preoccupied with ho—’ I falter. ‘Hobbies – I have a lot of hobbies.’

Kit looks more puzzled now than anything, as well he might, but I blunder on regardless.

‘I, er, knit,’ I tell him, ‘and I read a lot.’

At least the latter is true.

‘You and Tui have that in common,’ Kit says, starting up the hill.

‘Oh?’ I reply, following him, eager to hear more about my half-sister’s interests. The others have moved away out of sight now, but I can still hear her infectious laughter.

‘Not knitting.’ He emits a low chuckle. ‘She would never have the patience for that – but she loves her books. I used to read to her when she was younger, but these days she manages fine all by herself.’

The question about Tui’s condition sits like a cactus in the back of my throat, prickling whenever I swallow. I used to run the Riding for the Disabled scheme back when I was still working at Mill House Stables, but none of the disabled teenagers who came along were as capable as Tui. It feels too soon to ask Kit about it – the subject too private. What is abundantly clear is that he cares about Tui very much indeed, and I don’t want to say the wrong thing and risk damaging the fragile threads of our burgeoning friendship – not to mention ruin any chance I might have of spending more time with my new half-sister.

We reach the ridge of the hill to find Allie, Griff and Tui sprawled out on the ground, each of them pretending to be asleep. Tui, who is snoring loudly between bouts of giggles, opens one eye and peers up at us.

‘I can’t believe this lot fell asleep waiting for us,’ exclaims Kit, playing along.

Tui, unable to stop her body from shaking with laughter, sits up and emits a hiccup so loud that it prompts Beavis to leap sideways in fright. Then, reaching up and grabbing my hand for leverage, Tui pulls herself clumsily to her feet and runs off ahead along the path.

‘I’ve got dust all over my arse,’ says Allie, brushing ineffectually at the offending patch of dirt. ‘Help a girl out, will you?’ she adds to Kit, and I avert my eyes as he attends to her bottom.