‘Well, when Judith gets back you can come over and stay,’ he answers.

She hears the amusement in his voice, as if he guesses that she and Judith don’t hit it off too well, and she glances at him sharply.

‘I might just do that,’ she says, and then settles back to look around her.

‘You’ll only get a glimpse of Totnes,’ he says, ‘because I want to get on. But we’ll come back and do a proper recce.’

‘Fine by me,’ she says. ‘But when you say you want to get on, do you have a particular destination in mind?’

He nods, smiling. ‘My favourite place in all the world,’ he says.

She laughs, hearing all of his childhood in those words.

‘Not the Naval College?’ she queries teasingly, and watches with interest as his smile turns into surprise, almost as if he has forgotten such a place existed.

‘No,’ he says, giving a little shake of the head. ‘Not the College, though you’ll see that, too. Or as much as you can from the road.’

She looks around her as they skirt Totnes, glimpsing the castle crouching on the hill, and then they are out into the countryside once more. He gives a little running commentary as he drives along but she can feel that he is intent upon his destination. They turn on to the road to Dartmouth and he begins to tell her a little of the history of the town. Suddenly, away across the farmland, there is a dazzle of silver, brilliant in the autumn sunshine. She gives a little gasp, and there it is again, as if a mirror were reflecting the sunlight.

‘The sea,’ she cries. ‘Look at the sea!’

He glances briefly, nodding, acknowledging it.

‘You just wait,’ he says, driving on. ‘We’re nearly into Dartmouth now and then you’ll see the College, on your left as we go down the hill.’

She sees the great wrought-iron gates first, with the words ‘Britannia Royal Naval College’ arched above them, glimpses of the imposing building half hidden behind the trees. Suddenly she remembers Philip bringing her to the Passing Out Parade, the proud young men in their uniforms, and the band of the Royal Marines playing on the quarter deck. Afterwards she and Max and Philip went out on a boat on the river. It was a little motor boat and Max and Philip joked and laughed, and argued as to who should steer. Somewhere upriver they berthed it by a pontoon and went ashore to have tea in the pub. She hasn’t thought about it for years but she has a little vision of tiny creeks, wooded banks, and reflections on the water.