Sensing that Conor wasn’t about to be drawn any further about his mother, she changed the subject. ‘My sister would love it here,’ she gestured at the restaurant, ‘and at the farm. Mina’s a real foodie.’ During the rest of lunch, Hannah told Conor all about her sister’s venture in Switzerland and about the cakes she regularly pictured in their WhatsApp chats.

‘She’s the adventurous one.’

‘And you don’t think you are? Coming out to try something brand new in a different country sounds just as adventurous to me. Perhaps you’re more like your sister than you realise.’

‘No way,’ said Hannah automatically, but for the first time she began to wonder. She was the one who had chosen to do a brand-new subject at university, whereas Mina had focused her career on her interests. Doing Law had been a complete leap into the unknown and everyone at work was always slightly surprised to hear that she was a member of a canoe club.

After lunch, they wandered along the narrow streets filled with a mix of touristy and local wares. Hannah relaxed, feeling unusually content as they wandered past pretty painted buildings in an array of colours from rich, deep teal through to dusky red, brilliant blue, and bright yellow. There was wholesomeness about the place, as if the little town was happy to be what it was – both a tourist mecca and a place for locals. There were shops offering a huge selection of Irish wool jumpers mixed among a Spar, a local pharmacy, betting, leather, music and record shops, and sandwiched between each one, it seemed there was another yet another pub, even one that combined drinking with a hardware shop and bicycle hire.

‘Come on, I’ll take you to Dick Mack’s; they have a fine selection of whiskey. We’ll take a dram and continue your education in the hard stuff.’

England Hannah would have demurred or at least raised a protest. Drinking in the afternoon! But at that moment, she realised with a faint sense of triumph, she couldn’t think of anything nicer. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so much at ease with someone – well at ease in some ways. Her body was as taut as harp strings, playing a melody of excitement every time Conor brushed against her amongst the crowds.