She stepped onboard and went to put away the food and drink, as Johnny readied to depart. They waved to staff at the boathouse who they knew. Everybody here now knew the true story behind the helicopter crash on Scafell Pike. News travelled quickly when mountains kept gossip in tight corners.

Johnny set off and he gently manoeuvred the boat out into the centre, easing her across to where the lake bent around to reveal her main trunk. They passed the Glenridding hotel, where Lord Reilly had been egged and hounded, and they passed Glencoyne Wood, pulling slowly away from the shoreline, to reveal the foothills of Helvellyn behind them as they headed east. Johnny sped up now and the wind caught Kelly’s hair. They had the lake to themselves. She went to the tiny galley kitchen and got two beers from the cooler. Sitting next to him, she handed him one. They clinked their tins together. They passed Aira point and Kelly sipped her beer.

They could have brought the whole family. They could have just brought their daughter. There were many things Kelly could or should do, but not today. A five-month-old wasn’t exactly the ideal backdrop to healing a relationship that had come so close to ending – not because they fell out of love, she realised now, but because they’d both allowed something on the outside to creep inside, and it had been a mistake. Because if they were unable to withstand what came at them from time to time, just because that was life, and her job, then what chance did they have?

Johnny wore a huge knitted jumper, but still had on shorts, and she smiled, putting her sunglasses on. There was little warmth in the sun but it was as bright as any day Kelly could remember in the Lakes. The water was so clear that she could see the contours of the lake bed as they passed shallow water to make their way into the centre of the lake, where it was darker, but still blue. Johnny eased back and set a steady pace. There was no rush, and no traffic to navigate. Cloud clung to some of the features on the south shore, as they were the tallest hills, though the peak of Gowbarrow on their left was clear.

They spotted a few tiny orange and pink forms on the top and realised that five people were waving at them. They waved back.

They planned to spend tomorrow at home, in front of the fire, and then take Ted for a pint later. Johnny had moved some of his belongings back.