They followed Conor and Fliss to a gap in the hedge and thanks to the nearly full moon, they were able to pick their way up the hill. An owl hooted away in a thicket over to the left and a few birds chirped in alarm. Across the field there were occasional flashes of a rabbit’s tail darting away to safety.

After several glasses of wine, Hannah felt pleasantly woozy and extremely grateful she didn’t have to get up in the morning. She and Izzy had made tentative plans to go down to the beach at lunchtime, but she was going to take it easy for most of the day. Who knew that cooking all week would be so exhausting? She was quite grateful that at the weekends they were left to fend for themselves. They could help themselves to herbs and vegetables from the garden and there were plenty of eggs, bacon, ham, and bread on offer in the cookery kitchen early that afternoon. Hannah had already decided that she would probably eat sandwiches and salad all weekend rather than bother cooking anything for herself.

‘This is us, Hannah,’ said Izzy as they crossed into the farmyard, pointing to the row of cottages opposite the cookery kitchen. She and Meredith were sharing a cottage which was next door to the one that Jason and Alan shared.

‘Night, everyone,’ said Hannah.

‘Wait,’ called Conor. ‘Just let me see Fliss to the hotel and then I’ll come down with you.’

‘You don’t need to do that. I’ll be fine.’ She wasn’t afraid of the dark or the walk on her own, but a sudden unexpected frisson of excitement fizzed through her at the idea of spending time alone with him.

‘I know,’ his voice was as dry as dust, ‘but I was brought up to make sure ladies get home safely.’

She waited in the courtyard, listening to the others calling good night, the rattling of keys in doors and the murmured inaudible conversation between Conor and Fliss, who sounded disgruntled.

‘Ready?’ he asked her when he re-joined her.

‘Yes, but you really don’t need to do this.’

The snap of a twig over to her left stopped Hannah in her tracks. Was that the scuff of a footstep? She put an arm on Conor’s to stop him. ‘Did you hear that?’

‘Hear what?’

‘I thought I heard someone,’ she whispered.

Conor let out a small half laugh. ‘You’re a proper townie. Probably just an animal – we have them out here in the country.’

‘Very funny,’ said Hannah in a quiet voice, some instinct making her tense. Even though there was no sound, the hairs on the back of her neck stood proud. Logic told her there was nothing there but that funny sixth sense argued back. She glanced around but in the moonlight it was difficult to see anything but shadows.