‘Salcombe,’ he answers at once. ‘Why not? You’ve got family there and you’re making friends. Why go out on a limb? Especially when …’

He pauses and she smiles into the darkness.

‘It’s odd, isn’t it,’ she asks, ‘how difficult it is to speak the language of grief?’

She hears him sigh and the silence stretches between them.

‘I used to dread going out after Sally died,’ he says at last. ‘There were people who’d cross the road because they simply didn’t know what to say to me, and others who would immediately put on sad faces and talk in special hushed voices and tell me how terrible I must be feeling.’

‘Yes,’ she agrees. ‘It’s hard for everybody, I know, and it’s impossible to get it right, but I prefer those people who give me a hug and say, “God, isn’t life shit? Let’s go and have a drink.”’

‘Yeah, that’s it,’ Jack says. ‘You need people to be drawing you out of it, not commiserating until you want to scream or leave you feeling utterly depressed. I was lucky to have Amy. She kept me going.’

‘Well, I have dear old Max,’ Cara says lightly. ‘Or at least I do until Judith comes back. Judith doesn’t totally approve of me. I was always the tiresome little sister and I always will be. There were only the two of us, you see, and our parents were rather dysfunctional, so Max tended to watch out for me. Poor Judith. It must be very irritating for her. And now here I am again, being needy and inadequate.’

‘Is that why you’re reluctant to get a place in Salcombe? You always seem to back off a bit when anyone mentions it.’

Cara is touched by his perspicacity. ‘Probably. I don’t mean to irritate her but it just happens. Having me living in the town must be her worst nightmare.’

‘OK, then you need to make your own group of friends so that she doesn’t feel threatened.’

‘How easy you make it sound,’ marvels Cara. ‘Well, so far I have you, Amy, Sam … and I’m beginning to get to know Cosmo.’

‘Cosmo?’ He’s clearly startled. ‘You’ve met Cosmo?’

‘Yes, I have. And a very nice-looking fellow he is too. I met him in the Coffee Shop.’

‘And you liked him?’

‘He was very easy to talk to. He had a dog with him. Reggie, I think he said his name is. Yes, he was amusing, friendly. You know what it’s like round here. Everybody talks to complete strangers. He’s only here for a short while, dog-and-house-sitting. He’s on a sabbatical and he’ll have to get back to his job.’