Emily crouched down. She had brought a huge suitcase with her, unzipping it now. It was filled with baby paraphernalia, and she showed it to Casey now. The tiny pink babygrows and the Pampers. The milk formula and the baby wipes. There was even a book about looking after a baby for the first few days. ‘If you’ve got nothing better to read on the flight.’ Emily tried to make it a joke. ‘But it does come very highly recommended.’

Casey kneeled down, picking up a little changing mat.

‘We will take very good care of her, Emily.’

‘I know.’ Emily repacked a grey baby sling. ‘I know. There’s also a car seat. And the travel cot. The instructions are included . . .’

Her voice trailed away.

‘Remember,’ said Casey gently. ‘You have to stay low-profile now, both you and Dominic. Don’t answer your phone. If someone from the clinic calls you, I will ring them back from a Bangladeshi mobile. And you can’t stay at your home for a bit, either. I’m sorry. If the clinic somehow realises you’re still in this country . . .’

‘I know.’ Emily wiped her eyes. ‘We were going to go away anyway. Go away and come back – surprise! – with a baby. Tell everyone she came a bit early. Somewhere in England though.’ She almost smiled. ‘Because I’m not allowed to fly any more, of course.’

Now, Emily handed over a bankcard too. ‘The Post will reimburse you,’ Casey promised automatically.

Emily shrugged, gave her sweet smile. ‘It hardly even matters any more.’ She looked across at Casey curiously. ‘Are you scared?’

‘No,’ said Casey. Then: ‘A little,’ she admitted.

‘Please don’t take any risks,’ begged Emily. ‘I can’t bear it.’

‘I won’t,’ Casey lied.

Then a smile that was almost a conspiracy spread across Emily’s face. ‘There’s a payment due to the clinic after the baby gets safely back to England. Quite a big one. They’ll want you to get back here, for that.’

‘Thank you,’ Casey smiled. ‘That is helpful to know.’

‘Please hurry back,’ said Emily. ‘As soon as you have got Poppy. Please.’

‘We will come home as soon as we can,’ Casey promised. ‘I don’t want to be out there any longer than we have to be.’

‘I’ve been reading up,’ said Emily. ‘About bonding, and attachment, and emotional transfer. It all just seems so ridiculous now.’

‘As soon as possible,’ Casey repeated.

Emily stared across the airport. At the crowds, the orange signs, the clumsy clutter of suitcases. ‘None of this,’ she said, ‘was ever in my dreams.’

She turned to Casey. ‘We never meant to hurt anyone.’ Her voice was more urgent. ‘We were just like everyone else. We thought the good outweighed the bad.’

Those decisions, a million taken every day.

‘It won’t be long,’ said Casey. ‘We’ll be back soon.’