She let her body relax into his, wishing they could spend the day alone. She still hadn’t told him about the pregnancy. Maybe she’d do that later, after Jake and Felicity had gone home. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t imagine that this time next year, she would be a mother. The idea excited and terrified her. Most of the time, she was doing her best not to think of it at all. Very soon, she’d have to start making some big decisions – like whether she was going to continue living with Adam or not. And, if they didn’t stay together, she would have to come up with some sort of plan for where she was going to live and what she was going to do with the rest of her life.

‘Are you okay?’ Adam asked, his breath warm against the top of her head.

‘I am now,’ she said. ‘You were right about last night. It wasn’t much fun. At least they’re going home today.’

‘Not until after lunch, I’m afraid. We’re going for a walk and I’ve booked a table at the Plough after that.’

Clodagh groaned.

‘You’re right, Adam. You really do owe me.’

The next few hours were painless enough. Clodagh always loved getting out for a walk and, once Felicity stopped going on about her struggling acting career, she was actually quite good company.

Adam had booked an outside table at the pub and they sat in the glorious sunshine, taking in the views across the rolling hills of the South Downs. Jake drank a bottle of rosé over lunch. By the time they’d finished eating, he was slurring his words.

‘At least he’ll fall asleep in the car,’ Felicity said, as the men went to the bar to order more drinks. ‘Which is better than putting up with his nonsense the whole way back to London.’

‘Let’s hope it has the same effect on Adam,’ Clodagh said. Adam hadn’t drunk as much wine as Jake but he was quite tipsy as well. She had no intention of telling him about the baby while he was in this state. Hopefully he would sober up in time for them to talk later.

‘It’s so lovely here,’ Felicity said. ‘You’re lucky to live in such a beautiful place.’

Clodagh couldn’t disagree. Streaks of golden sunshine criss-crossed the yellow grass in the field behind the pub, and long shadows stretched across the garden to the trees at the end.

‘More wine,’ Jake boomed, coming back outside. ‘Who’s for a top-up?’

He refilled his own glass and put the bottle on the table. Not even bothering, Clodagh noted sourly, to see if anyone else might like some too. The man was a pig.