We saunter past the two barns and begin to climb the grassy mound. I offer Patricia my arm when she begins to struggle a little.

‘It’s a bit slippery. Grab hold.’

‘Thank you, my dear.’

At one end of the lake, there’s an intricately carved, albeit rather rickety, wooden bench beneath an old willow tree. We make our way over to it and once we’re seated Patricia turns to look at me, pointedly.

‘Are you saying you think he wasn’t content with your old life, and that’s becoming more apparent now that you are apart?’

‘He hasn’t said anything quite that blunt, but he’s different in some way. For example, Aiden rang and he didn’t ask me how I was and it didn’t occur to him I might have my own issues. I know he’s not having an easy time right now, but it made me feel unimportant. Taken for granted, if you like. I assumed we’d share every little detail of our respective journeys, but our calls are always cut short and he never emails, only sends one-liner texts.’

‘From what you’ve told me about him, it sounds like perhaps he’s floundering a little. I think most people reach an age where they stop and look back, as well as forwards, for the first time. In the spring of your life, it’s all about tomorrow. In the summer phase, it’s often about being so caught up with family demands and working, there’s hardly time to take stock. But there comes a point when suddenly there’s another crossroad and big changes that affect the rest of your life. It’s a period of adjustment and people cope in different ways.’

I know what Patricia is saying, that this is about Aiden finding himself and to do that requires a lot of introspective thought, with no outside pressures. It’s not about being one half of a couple – well, until he returns.

‘What if I discover that there’s a different me buried deep down inside, too? Some unknown me who isn’t simply a wife, a daughter, a sister or a friend?’

Patricia stares at me for a moment and I wish I hadn’t blurted that out, because her look is one of real concern.

‘People can come to regret the mistakes they don’t make, as much as they regret the mistakes they do make.’

I’m stunned. That wasn’t at all what I was expecting her to say. This rather refined, very gentile lady is such a surprise in so many ways. I can’t help feeling that Patricia’s life is complicated, too.