Anna read the whole thing twice and still struggled to take it in. There were far more experienced chefs than she who had never had a review like this from such a respected critic. An entire career could turn on this kind of attention. People with influence kept an eye on reviews like this, and new establishments deemed worthy of the column inches inevitably became talking points between other chefs, not to mention destinations for minted foodies who prided themselves on not being outdone by others of like mind. She wondered quite how this was going to affect her. After all, it had only taken a small write-up in a local freesheet to fill her table every time she opened it. Now Adrienne Gail had sent her national.

The review and all its implications were still rattling around Anna’s head when a knock sounded at her door. Anna opened it to find Liam Harper hunched over against the brisk wind, his eyes dark beneath his thick wool hat.

‘Hi,’ he said. ‘I probably should have called first. Sorry.’

‘Come in,’ Anna said, holding the door open wider for him. ‘I’ll make us some tea.’

Liam was quiet as she boiled the kettle, sitting on the sofa and contemplating something in the middle distance. Anna glanced at him from the kitchen, remembering the first night he had spent here, which seemed both years ago and yesterday. If she’d known then what she knew now, would she have let him stay that night, or any other? Anna didn’t know.

‘Here,’ she said, once she’d poured the tea, holding out the mug. Liam took it with a faint smile. Anna sat opposite and sipped at her drink, waiting him out.

‘I’m sorry I’ve not been in touch,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry that I haven’t checked on you since that night that you came to tell me. It… it was a lot to take in.’

‘I know. It’s all right.’

Liam gave a half-shrug. ‘It’s not all right. You’re the one with the hard bit to do. I’m nothing but a bystander at this point.’

Anna raised a smile at that.

‘Are you all right?’ he said. ‘I mean, you and…’ he nodded at her, eyes on her stomach.

‘Far as I know,’ she said. ‘I feel fine. Scan’s not for another three weeks.’

He looked bereft. ‘That’s not long before I’m booked to go home.’

‘I know,’ she said softly.

‘That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.’

‘The scan?’

‘No,’ he shifted uncomfortably. ‘Going home.’

‘Okay,’ Anna said. ‘What about it?’

‘I want you to come with me.’

Out of everything he could have said at that moment, those words were the last that she had been expecting. Anna almost dropped her mug in surprise. ‘What?’