Al has indeed seen Amy. This morning soon after breakfast he heard a car coming up the track. Watching from the window he saw Amy emerge from the car and, acting on instinct, he fled upstairs and stood listening, holding his breath. There was a sharp knock at the door, Reggie barked, another knock, then eventually he heard the car engine start into life and the sound of it driving away. He felt ashamed, and furious with Cosmo. Since then he’s been on tenterhooks in case she comes again.

‘She came out here,’ he tells Cosmo, ‘but I laid low. What am I supposed to tell her, for Chrissakes? Just get back here and sort it out yourself.’

‘I’ll be down tomorrow afternoon,’ Cosmo says. ‘Can you meet me?’

Al is swamped with relief. ‘Definitely,’ he says.

They agree times and then Al says curiously: ‘What will you tell Amy?’

‘I shall tell her the truth. That I’ve been finishing a long and difficult relationship so that she and I can be together.’

‘And you call that the truth?’

‘I’m all washed up with Becks,’ Cosmo tells him. ‘She’s never going to take me back. I realize that now. So this has simply made up my mind for me. Sometimes you need that, don’t you? A helping hand in the right direction. I’m sure Amy will understand once I get the chance to explain it to her.’

‘If you get the chance,’ Al reminds him. ‘Do you really think she’s waiting here for you with open arms?’

‘It’ll be fine,’ replies Cosmo confidently.

‘And when you finish here at the end of next week?’

‘It’s not that far from London. We’ll sort something out.’

Al shakes his head in silent disbelief at Cosmo’s supreme self-confidence and shrugs.

‘Fine,’ he says. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow. Be on that train.’

‘He’s crazy,’ he says to Reggie, who is waiting patiently for his supper. ‘Utterly loco. But I don’t care. Tomorrow I’m out of here.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Cosmo drives slowly in the steep, narrow lanes, although at least now he is used to driving on roads that have grass and moss growing along the centre of them. But he still can’t resist those views beyond the gateways: those glimpses of estuary and creeks and little boats. As he drives, he remembers that very first visit with Al and how he was captivated by the magic of this place.

‘Three months’ paid holiday in a dream location, mate,’ Al said. ‘What’s not to like?’