She sits at the table, sipping coffee, wondering what to give them for lunch, whilst Hal scrolls through his messages, making comments about various members of the family: what they’re doing, the latest news. As she watches him, Fliss wonders if she and Hal are so happy because they came together so late; each with the failures and disappointments and lessons learned from their first marriages. They know how to give each other space, to respect the other’s feelings, and to have such delight in the love that they were both denied for so long. Perhaps it helps that they’ve known each other all their lives, lived within this extended family, shared so much.

Fliss wonders what their grandmother would think of them now.

‘You’re a long way off,’ says Hal, watching her, pushing his iPad to one side. ‘Penny for them?’

‘Oh, they’re worth much more than that,’ she protests. ‘Shall we keep lunch simple or make it a feast?’

‘Simple,’ he answers at once. ‘Especially if we’re going to walk Honey afterwards. Sam will be driving so he can’t drink, and nor can I if we’re going up on the moor.’

‘Suits me,’ she says. ‘I’ve got some soup in the freezer but I might dash over to Riverford and get some really nice cheese.’

‘I’ll take Honey out on the hill for a walk,’ he says. ‘Sam says “late morning” in his text so I’ll be around if they’re a bit early.’

‘Fine,’ she says. ‘So breakfast, then shower, or the other way around?’

‘Breakfast first.’ He gets up. ‘Admiral’s Special, I think.’

Fliss laughs. It’s Hal’s son, Jolyon, who has named his father’s legendary fry-ups by this name. Hal is raiding the fridge: bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes.

‘Bring it on and then I’ll go foraging for lunch,’ she says.

The shadows of the past have receded: the day ahead is full of promise.