‘I don’t know – he may be. But I think he’ll be awfully bothered too. I think he feels . . . safe with us. Something he said this afternoon made me very uneasy.’ She told Giles about the guinea pig episode.

‘Oh, Lord,’ said Giles. ‘I suppose one of us had better actually speak to Lorna before we tell him anything. It would be too awful if he got all thrilled and excited and then she let him down. That seems highly likely to me. I think one of the suggested times to catch her is about nine o’clock tonight, our time. Will you try her – or do you want me to do it?’

She laughed suddenly and went and put her arms round his neck. ‘No, I most definitely don’t want you to do it, Giles Grant! She’d be thrilled. Anything rather than that! I’ll try her after dinner and leave a sizzling message if I don’t get her. We’ll think together how to approach Rory after that. We need to sleep on it.’

‘We most certainly do,’ said Giles, laughing back at her, loving as always her lightning change of mood. ‘I just wish we didn’t have to do other things first!’

‘You know that’s not what I meant! You’re incorrigible,’ she said severely, but she returned his kiss. Giles held her close and laid his cheek against the top of her head. ‘I love you so much, Iz,’ he whispered. ‘I couldn’t exist without you. You do know that, don’t you?’

‘Hmm,’ she said. ‘I’ll have that in writing. Oh, God! We’re going to be late for dinner if we don’t hurry. I wish we hadn’t got to chat up all these people, though I have to admit to being quite intrigued by this lot. I have a feeling there are deep emotional issues being worked out among our band of writers. At least it takes my mind off our own troubles.’