‘Where did you say he was staying?’ he asked. ‘Didn’t you say he was dog-sitting?’

She nodded. ‘Round the head of Batson Creek.’

His anxiety increased. He hoped that his girl wasn’t falling in love with this young man who would probably disappear back to London when his dog-sitting stint was over. He didn’t want her hurt but was powerless to prevent it.

‘Bring him to quiz night,’ he suggested lightly.

‘I’ll ask him,’ she said, and that was the end of the conversation.

A text pings in and Jack looks at his phone. It’s from Cara.

Sounds good. Could I come round for a drink? Now?

Jack laughs softly to himself and taps out a message.

Bad as that, is it? Of course.

He sends it and stands up. The place is fairly tidy but he does a quick check round and then looks to see what he’s got to offer her to drink. In a few minutes there’s a tap at the door. He hurries to open it, letting her go past him into the kitchen, then shutting the door behind her.

‘Running away?’ he asks. ‘That didn’t take long.’

She grimaces guiltily. ‘I told them we’d made a plan before I realized Judith would be back. I have to say she was rather surprised. I don’t know what came over me.’

‘Judith’s a very formidable lady,’ says Jack, holding up a bottle of Shiraz. ‘Although I should have thought you were used to that after all these years.’

‘The thing is,’ says Cara, ‘what with us abroad most of the time and Max away at sea, we’ve actually spent very little time together. Yes, please, I’d love a glass. It’s very kind of you. I had a kind of panic attack.’

‘I’m afraid it goes with the territory.’ He pours them both a drink. ‘Nothing is the same and you feel in uncharted waters. It’s hard, sometimes,’ he adds, ‘being with married couples. You feel so terribly alone.’

‘Yes,’ she says, looking at him. ‘That’s exactly what it’s like.’

He sees her eyes fill with tears and curses his tactlessness.

‘It’s so good,’ she says, ‘to be with someone who really understands. Thanks, Jack.’

He raises his glass to her, seeking for a distraction. ‘So tell me,’ he says. ‘Do you know anything about this young fellow Cosmo?’

Cara sips her wine, not wanting to talk about Cosmo. ‘Well, I met him in the Coffee Shop, as you know. And I met him walking the dog – that’s all. Why?’

Jack says that he wonders if Amy and Cosmo have something going between them and that he’s hoping she’ll invite Cosmo to quiz night.

‘I’ll come along, too. We’ll give him the third degree,’ Cara says, trying for a lighter note. ‘So what day is Der Rosenkavalier?’