‘We need an itinerary,’ he tells Cara. ‘It makes it a bit difficult when you don’t know the area but I think we might start in Kingsbridge, then Dartmouth and then Totnes, and check out some of the villages as we go along. I’m assuming that you have a car?’

He looks at her, wondering if he’s being too bossy, but she’s smiling at him.

‘Yes, I have a car. Even big enough to squeeze Oscar into, if we need to.’

‘That’s good,’ he says. ‘There will be plenty of places to walk him as we go along. The important thing is to get a feel of the area and see if there’s anywhere that you specially like. Then we can expand the search a bit. Does that sound right?’

‘I can see that I’m in safe hands,’ she says. ‘And it’s a great relief. I’d hate to be doing this alone.’

Sam feels pleased. He takes the laptop into the study and prints off some of the house details Cara has approved. He likes to be organized; to plan ahead. Sitting at Max’s desk, listening to the printer, he begins to draw up an itinerary. It’s good to feel useful.

When he gets home Jack goes straight to his cluttered, untidy desk in the cubbyhole that he calls his study and begins to search for the programme showing the events at the Barn Theatre at Dartington.

Amy calls to him from the big kitchen-living-room: ‘Hi, Dad. Had a good evening?’

He goes to find her, bringing the programme with him. ‘Yes, I did. Max was in the pub with Cara and that godson of his. Have you been back long?’

She shakes her head. ‘Just got in.’

He looks at her, checking for signs that might indicate that it’s been an unusual evening but she looks quite calm, not like a girl who’s falling in love. Though he’s not absolutely sure that he’d recognize the signs.

‘Did Cosmo approve of the Pigs Nose?’ he asks lightly.

‘Mmm.’ She nods almost indifferently and then grins at him as if she knows exactly what he’s up to. ‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m checking the dates for The Magic Flute next week. It seems that Max’s sister, Cara, is keen on it so I’ve offered to take her.’

‘Ooh,’ says Amy, ‘that was quick. Nice, is she?’

It’s as if suddenly the boot is on the other foot and Jack begins to laugh.

‘Very nice,’ he says. ‘But I thought you’d met. She said she’d seen you in the Coffee Shop?’

Amy frowns, shakes her head. ‘I don’t think so. Oh, except that Max came in one morning and I think he went and sat with someone. Might have been her.’

‘Well, she said that you were a very pretty girl.’