‘…and that was how the giant came to his end on St Michael’s Mount. Brave Jack had won the day.’ Kerensa closed the illustrated silk-bound book and smiled at her audience.

‘Did you see how big that giant was in the picture, Reverend?’ asked Kane. ‘He’s nearly as tall as Father.’

‘Well, I don’t think your father is quite as tall as the giant was,’ the Reverend laughed.

‘Our Jack is just as brave as Jack the Giant Killer,’ Olivia said.

‘No he isn’t,’ Luke said, with a snort. ‘He may be good with horses but he’s not at all brave.’

‘Yes he is,’ Olivia argued.

‘I tell you he isn’t!’ Luke insisted. ‘He happens to be afraid of women so he’d never be brave enough to kill a giant.’

The superior tone in Luke’s voice, reminiscent of his father, made Kerensa as cross with him as his words. ‘That’s enough, Luke! Don’t let me hear you say a thing like that again.’

‘Well, it’s true. I overheard—’

‘Luke!’ Kerensa warned as Kane and Olivia tittered. ‘You should not listen in on other people’s conversations and if you do so accidentally, you should not repeat what they say.’

‘Jack is very brave,’ Olivia poked her younger brother in the side. ‘So there.’

This did not bring forth the tussle the Reverend expected. Instead Luke said loftily, ‘Girls know nothing.’

‘Can we have the story of St Michael killing the dragon at bedtime?’ Kane asked, climbing down from the Reverend and giving his mother a hug.

‘You can, my love, but not your brother if he’s naughty again just once more today,’ Kerensa said firmly, kissing Kane’s cheek then giving Luke a chastising stare.

‘Don’t worry, Mama, I know how to behave myself.’ Luke said it very sweetly but to the Reverend it sounded like a challenge. ‘May I go outside to play?’

‘If you don’t get too wet and muddy, certainly you may.’ Kerensa spoke each word clearly and precisely and Luke lowered his eyes. The Reverend was relieved she had gained the upper hand. But he wondered if she had bigger battles to face with this child in the future.

He pulled three wrapped squares of Mrs Tregonning’s treacle toffee out of his coat pocket and the children eagerly took a piece each. Then Luke and Kane went outside to play knights and giant-killers in the rain and Olivia left to ask Cherry to help her lay out her paints.

‘They become more charming every day, Kerensa,’ the Reverend said after the noisy clattering of shoes had died away.