They didn’t attempt to sit next to each other at lunch, not wanting to start on their exchange of histories until they were alone, but as soon as the meal was over they headed up the hill behind the house.

Christopher Piper watched the two young women depart and set off in the opposite direction – something he seemed to be doing rather often lately, he thought. He too had been absorbed by the stories, looking at all his fellow students with new eyes and wanting to know more about them. In particular he would have liked to know more about the events in the West Indies – which must surely have been responsible for turning Marnie into such an awkward, distrustful character – and also about the unexpected shadows in Louisa’s otherwise apparently sunlit life. Few people turn out to be quite what they seem on first meeting, and he thought wryly that this would certainly apply to him too. It had occurred to him before lunch that he would like to suggest to Louisa that they might go for a walk in the afternoon, but apparently Marnie had got in first – and anyway he wasn’t sure that he was prepared to get into a close conversation with Louisa Forrester, much as he felt drawn to her. It might prove awkward.

Chapter Six

As they walked up behind the house, through a small gate and out on to the open hillside, Louisa and Marnie chatted easily enough about the other participants on the course and the fascination of everyone’s revealing pieces of writing. They agreed about the horrendousness of Stanley and the cleverness of Catherine in uncovering and encouraging the talents of Win. They agreed in liking the Colonel and Morwenna and Joyce.

‘And Christopher Piper?’ asked Louisa as they followed the burn uphill. ‘What do you make of him? Bit of a dark horse? Answer to a maiden’s prayer? Arrogant shit?’

‘I don’t really know what I think about him yet,’ said Marnie cautiously, aware that she must sound stiff and dull to Louisa – and probably untruthful too, she thought ruefully.

‘Didn’t you enjoy having a drink with him?’ asked Louisa.

Marnie shrugged, miserably conscious of how awkward and unforthcoming she had been with Christopher the evening before, when she had secretly longed to be as outgoing and amusing as Louisa seemed, quite effortlessly, to be with everyone.

‘It was sort of okay,’ she said. ‘He was perfectly friendly but I didn’t find him that easy. Probably my fault.’

‘At least you have to admit he’s attractive?’

‘I suppose he’s very good-looking – if you go for those sorts of looks,’ Marnie said dismissively.