‘Yes, it’s great, isn’t it?’ Kate nodded, looking suddenly pensive. ‘But there is so much I want to do here. I feel a bit trapped by my work.’

‘Then finish this volume and take a break. Take some time out. If you feel like working, then concentrate on your own book. You have plenty of time before that final novel will be ready. Angela admitted that she hadn’t even started it yet and was struggling to come up with fresh ideas.’ He spoke hesitantly. Just recently, the most innocent comments had been misconstrued, causing his moody wife to snap at him.

Kate sipped her wine, watching the sunlight glint in the crystal glass. ‘You’re right. I’ll buckle down and get this one put to bed as soon as possible. I’ve already done a whole load of preparatory sketches, so I’m ahead of the game.’ Absentmindedly, she reached across and laid her hand on his leg. ‘Then I’ll turn my attention to our home. I want it to be perfect, just as it used to be. Which reminds me — would you mind if I do a bit of research on the history of Holland House?’

‘In your spare time, I suppose?’ He tried not to show it, but he was somewhat surprised that with her deadline for the publisher, her own work, and her wish to revamp an entire house, she would even consider another time-consuming hobby.

She smiled and looked out across the salt marsh.

‘So, what do you want to know about the house?’ he asked after a while. ‘Do you think it has a grim past? Murder, mystery and mayhem?’

‘I sincerely doubt it. It’s hardly Medmenham Abbey.’

‘Or Borley Rectory, for that matter.’

‘I’m interested, that’s all.’ She turned and looked at him. ‘It is our home. Surely you want to know all about it, don’t you?’

‘I know that it’s been in the Holland family since it was built. Old Mr Holland’s grandfather built it as a wedding present for his son and his new wife. And that’s enough for me.’

‘Don’t be boring, Will.’

‘You can investigate to your heart’s content, my sweet. Just don’t start reciting the Holland family tree. I don’t want to know who begat who, thank you. In any case, it’d just go in one ear and out the other.’

‘That’s fine,’ she murmured, gazing out over Whisper Fen. ‘This is my project.’

She turned and looked up at Holland House as if she and this construction of bricks and mortar had an understanding between them. Will wondered when she had last looked at him like that and experienced a pang of what could only be described as jealousy.

* * *