‘I learned my lesson from the duke’s niece, yes. I don’t think I’ve ever even kissed somebody in the past decade who didn’t know I am ethically non-monogamous.’

‘Ethically?’

‘Yup. I totally respect anyone I get involved with, even if it’s just for one night. I always wear a condom, the other person knows my situation, and I expect to know theirs, too. Everyone has feelings, right?’

Penny nodded.

‘So it’s not about mindless sex or whatever. I love connection. Connection is key.’ He made deliberate eye contact when he said that, and it made her stomach flip excitedly. His eyes were bright blue, like Frank Sinatra’s. ‘I just think it’s possible to have a connection to more than one person.’

‘I see.’

‘Am I making sense?’

‘I think so. I’ve never really met anyone who … does it. Non-monogamy. I suppose I always thought it was just called cheating.’

‘That’s the ethical part.’

Penny stood to catch her breath. ‘How much further?’

‘Okay, so at the end of this path there’s a very steep hill, and then another incredible view – more incredible than Haddon Hall – and then the Latkill Hotel.’

‘That I can do,’ Penny said. ‘There’s a pint of cider with my name on it.’

‘Oh, how kind of you to offer to get in the first round,’ Thomas winked, cheekily, jogging up ahead of her to show off his stamina.

After walking along the road and across a small bridge over the river, Penny paused and pulled out her phone. She captured a picture of some ducks paddling upstream, and then said to Thomas, ‘Come here, let’s get a photo.’ She turned on the selfie camera and caught them, heads tilted towards each other, the Peak District framing them in the background.

‘Let me see it,’ he said, lingering close to her.

Penny fiddled with her phone and pulled the picture up, aware of his lips close to her ear and the way he put his arm around her to take the phone, holding her in a sort of hug from behind and looking over her shoulder.

‘I think we look very good together,’ he said, his voice low.

‘We do, don’t we?’ Penny agreed, speaking just as softly. She could feel his breath on her neck, the heat of his skin.

‘How do you feel about what I’ve told you today?’ Thomas asked, not shifting. It was a power move: he was holding her in place so she couldn’t dodge the question.

She thought about it. ‘I don’t … feel anything about it. I always knew you’d be here, and then you wouldn’t.’

‘Uh-huh,’ he said.

‘I appreciate the information.’

‘My pleasure.’ He was still close. The phone screen faded to black and automatically locked itself. They lingered. Penny knew if she looked to her right his mouth would be level with hers and that they would kiss.