He walked up the stairs to the main living area, then the next flight up to their bedroom. No sign of Rowan. Back down to the kitchen, the balcony, pool and garden. Still no joy. One of Jennifer’s lads – the surly, blond pretty boy – pointed him around the side of the villa and he followed the path through a gate into the front garden, looking across to the parking area and the tree-lined drive up to the main gate.

There she was, leaning up against the rental car with her back to him. On her mobile.

Found you.

‘Shh,’ Odette said, her breath hot in Russ’s ear.

Russ nodded and moved off the gravel path, onto the grass. Quieter. He walked slowly and noiselessly across the lawn towards his wife.

She still hadn’t heard him.

Russ turned and winked at his daughter as he carried her on his back. She was grinning hugely, excited to take her mother by surprise: this was a good game. He crept a bit nearer, slowing down now, until he could just about make out her side of the conversation.

‘That’s what I’m telling you,’ Rowan said. ‘I’m asking you, I mean. I want to know what all the options are, when everything is supposed to happen.’

He took another step towards her, straining to hear every word.

‘No,’ she said forcefully, her back still to them. ‘No. Of course I haven’t told him.’

She switched the phone from one hand to the other, tucking her dark auburn hair behind her ear.

‘I know that. I know! How do you think it makes me feel?’ She paused for a moment, listening. ‘When the time’s right, I’ll tell him. When I’ve had enough time to make a decision that’s based on what I—’

Odette giggled, unable to contain herself any longer.

Rowan whirled around to face them, her eyes wide.

‘What the—’

‘Boo!’ shouted Odette. ‘We found you, Mummy!’

Rowan stared at them both for a moment.

‘I’ll call you back,’ she said, ending the call.

She slipped the phone into the pocket of her shorts and crossed her arms.

‘What’s going on?’

‘Who was that?’ Russ said.

Odette shouted over both of them.

‘We’re playing hide-and-seek, Mummy!’

‘Work stuff.’

Russ pulled a sceptical face.

‘Didn’t sound like work.’

‘I’m not having this conversation with you. Not now.’

‘Why not? Worried it might ruin the wonderful holiday atmosphere we’ve got going on?’

Odette jigged up and down excitedly on her father’s back. ‘Mummy—’

‘Because there’s nothing to talk about.’

‘Don’t try to pull your usual bull on me. I see how you are with him.’

‘With who?’

‘Sean. Yesterday at the beach you were all over him.’

‘He was looking out for our daughter while you were sleeping off a hangover. Again.’

‘Why do you have to do this? Why do you have to embarrass me?’