Aidan hadn’t paused to think about her question as to whether he’d been serious about offering her a job. His actual words were, ‘Yes, yes, yes and when can you get your arse down here already to discuss the details?’

He’d even reassured her that a lot of the law was the same, as much of it was set in place when Ireland was part of the United Kingdom until 1922.

‘You do seem a bit distracted. I did wonder when I saw you putting the flour in the fridge.’ She laughed. ‘That’s the sort of thing I do but that’s thanks to menopause fog, which I’m pretty sure you’re a bit young for. You’ve all that joy ahead of you.’ She rolled her eyes.

‘Mmm,’ said Hannah, wondering for a minute what she might buy here if she sold her flat in Manchester. She could have chickens. A vegetable patch. A herb garden.

And since when had she wanted a herb garden?

What would Mina think? Stupid question. Mina would be wholeheartedly in favour. And Aidan’s enthusiastic response had steeled her nerve. Nerves gripped her gut. What about Conor? What would he say? She felt a little sick, trying to imagine his reaction. Would he be pleased or shocked? Would he still want her? Could she really stay in Kerry if he didn’t want her? He’d signed up for a fling thing, not an open-ended thing. But was she forcing his hand if she announced she was staying? That was changing the rules they’d agreed.

When she returned through a grey misty mizzle to the cottage early that afternoon, Conor was waiting for her with a big grin on his face, as if he were harbouring a surprise.

She gave him a tremulous smile back, knowing she needed to talk to him and wondering when the right time would be.

‘Good day?’ he asked. ‘You’ve finished nice and early.’

‘Adrienne gave us the afternoon off as we all did so well and because the preparations for the Orchard Dinner are well under way.’ She paused. ‘It seems like quite a big deal.’

The dinner was taking place the following evening and tomorrow they would be cooking all day, helping to prepare food for the buffet.

‘It’s the highlight of the year. I’d liken it to the Byrnes’s personal Thanksgiving. You know my sister has just flown in from the States for it. I’ve never missed it.’ He paused and swallowed. ‘It’s always held the same week as Niamh’s birthday and the week my da died.’ Clearing his throat, he added with a wry, sad smile, ‘Even Fergus gets a haircut and puts a shirt on.’