‘Jenny—’ Libby’s tone was patient ‘—I can see you’re in love with him. Every time you look at him it shines out of your eyes.’

Jenny stared at her, appalled. Her first instinct was to deny it and then she realised helplessly that there was probably no point and anyway her main concern wasn’t Libby.

‘Do you think your brother knows?’ she croaked, glancing towards the cave to check that Alex wasn’t within ear-shot.

Libby looked taken aback. ‘I don’t know. Probably. Women are always in love with him, so he sort of expects it. But what’s the problem? He’s clearly crazy about you too.’

Crazy about her?’

Jenny shook her head. ‘No. He isn’t. It isn’t like that.’

It was true that he seemed to be attracted to her for some reason, but she didn’t fool herself that it was anything other than novelty value.

Libby brushed some more sand away from Athena’s face but her eyes were on Jenny. ‘Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?’

It was severely tempting to confide in someone who knew Alex well but Jenny shook her head.

The issue of Daisy was between her and Alex and she didn’t feel comfortable sharing it with anyone else until Alex chose to acknowledge his responsibility for Daisy. And as for the other issue—her relationship with Alex—there was absolutely nothing going on.

Unfortunately.

Libby was looking at her with sympathy. ‘Well, if it’s any consolation, he seems to treat you differently to all the other women he’s ever been with.’

Jenny concentrated on Daisy, not wanting to think about the other women that Alex had been with. It just hurt too much.

Daisy finished the bottle and Jenny and Libby chatted casually until Alex arrived back with an excited Zoe.

‘We went right into the cave and it was so dark,’ she said, her voice an awed whisper. ‘Uncle Alex was scared so I had to hold his hand.’

Libby laughed and then gave a startled gasp and lifted her hand to her neck, knocking off an enormous bee that had landed on her skin.

Her face blanched and she jumped to her feet, her expression one of pure panic as she looked at her brother. ‘Alex, I’ve been stung.’

Alex was by her side immediately, his expression grim. ‘Jenny, call the air ambulance now! Tell them we’ve got a case of anaphylactic shock.’ He took his sister by the shoulders and looked down at her, his tone urgent. ‘Where? Where did it sting you?’

For a moment Jenny stood frozen to the spot, uncomprehending, and then she fumbled in her bag for her mobile phone and dialled the emergency number without question. She had no idea what was going on but she knew better than to doubt Alex about anything medical. If he felt that he needed the air ambulance then he needed it.

As she slipped the phone back in her bag, Zoe caught her hand, her eyes terrified.

‘Mummy’s allergic to bees,’ she said, her little voice trembling.