‘Isn’t this a bit of a retrograde step? I thought you were in adventure mode. I thought you said you felt free to take off anywhere: go travelling; try other creative outlets. I thought the next six months was supposed to be special Louisa time – an exploration of different opportunities?’

‘It was.’ Louisa looked out over the garden. It was still quite light though the colour was beginning to seep out of the flame-coloured azaleas surrounding the house and the tulips in the tubs below the steps had closed their pointed petals for the night. Swifts screamed and swooped to catch a late supper, gloriously charged with energy and speed. ‘It was going to be all those things, but my sense of adventure seems to have gone AWOL. It’s as though my enterprise tank has suddenly sprung a leak and all initiative is draining out of me.’

Isobel felt a frisson of unease. She gave Louisa a troubled look. ‘It’ll come back,’ she said stoutly. ‘I always think one has a slump after a crisis. Surprisingly easy to be good at the time – it’s afterwards that’s such a bummer. You’re probably just having a reaction after taking the decision to make such big changes . . . and to ending your relationship with Adam. That can’t have been easy. Come on, we must both go to bed. We’ve had a long day. Now where the hell’s that bloody little dog of mine gone? This is the sort of moment Lozzie chooses to give me the slip and go off rabbiting.’

But at that moment a very smug-looking Lozenge came waddling up the bank, wagging her tale ingratiatingly, her stomach bulging even closer to the ground than usual.

Isobel and Louisa went back into the house. Isobel locked up for the night, and by unspoken agreement they left the question of Louisa’s future hanging in the air.

Chapter Twenty-five

It was fine but overcast when Giles and Christopher set off for Islamouth on Wednesday morning.

‘I told Izzy not to bother to organise a full-blown picnic for us,’ Giles said to Christopher as they loaded up the car with fishing paraphernalia. ‘I said a “piece” in the pocket for each of us would be fine. I hope that’s all right with you?’

‘Great.’

‘What would you like to drink?’