There was no freezing mist today and the rain from the previous night had cleared to leave a sun that was bright enough for him to feel its warmth. He actually undid his jacket before he undid the flask.

‘Morning, my love!’ He felt bright and inhaled the fresh morning air as he poured out his first coffee. Movement dragged his eye. A sheep emerged from the bushes as a blur, another one erupting from behind it. They both skipped away, the second clumsy where its foot dragged in the vegetation. Richard laughed. ‘They’re out again, keeping you company, I see!’

Angela loved nature and he loved the idea that animals felt safe enough to roam here. He leaned back, his arm along the top of the bench to open his whole body to the sun. He even closed his eyes – his face drenched enough that he could see the glow against his eyelids. For the first time in a long time, Richard felt good, invigorated even. He could remember endless occasions where he had sat on this bench with no real sense of anything else, like he was just waiting to join his wife in the ground. But not today.

‘Who did you bring, Richard?’ The voice was instantly recognisable and Richard’s eyes opened to the strong sunlight. He was forced to look down, where he took in a pair of smart tan shoes with contrasting blue streak.

‘Bring? What do you mean?’ Richard said.

‘Someone followed you here. He’s watching. What did you tell him, Richard? Why did you bring him here?’

‘Tell him?’

‘About this. About me … What did you tell him?’ The man was different – his voice was laden with emotion that seemed to be more sadness than anger.

Richard tried to look at him, but the man was just a silhouette, the sunshine directly above his shoulder and Richard had to turn away. He did a sweep of the whole of the grounds, lingering on the wrought-iron entrance gate. He couldn’t see anyone else. But Glenn hadn’t taken well to being told he wasn’t to come up here. Richard had been clear – he didn’t need him – but he wouldn’t be surprised if his friend had still followed him up here.

‘Look, we’re basically brothers. And I don’t know you, I don’t know who you are or why you did what you did.’

‘I told you why. I told you I was doing a good deed. I know you’ve been suffering and I just wanted to give you the chance to make it right. But this was between us, between me and you. I told you that. This wasn’t for other people. The moment you start involving other people it becomes … messy.’

‘Messy? Not at all. I told you, I trust him like no one else left in the world. If he’s here it’s only to watch my back, just like he’s always done. We’re both suspicious of good deeds. I guess we were trained to believe that the world’s just not like that.’ Richard again tried to make eye contact with the man but he still wore the sun on his shoulder.