‘Yes, you know. Kai’s mum. Perhaps you haven’t met her. She’s new and I feel guilty because I haven’t made much effort. I owe her for that time she picked Lottie up when I had to work late. I’m thinking of maybe asking Cassie and Evan. And Susanna and Peter? I’ll have to dredge up an extra man from somewhere. Unless you think that doesn’t matter.’

He walks ahead of me, flings the stick and shades his eyes with his hand, watching the dog sprint gleefully into the bracken. ‘To be honest, I’m not in the mood for a dinner party.’

‘It wouldn’t need to be anything formal. Just a casual kitchen supper. I don’t much like dinner parties either.’

He waits for me. ‘Let’s not. I can’t face it.’

‘OK. We can do it any time. Perhaps it was a bad idea. She can come to a barbecue in the summer, when there’re lots of people round. It’ll be easier.’

When I get nervous I tend to placate. I understand that I’m safe with Nick, that this is leftover insecurity from a chaotic childhood but sometimes it’s hard to control. It used to irritate Douglas, but he gave me good reason to feel jealous and insecure. Nick has never done that.

‘Don’t plan me into anything, Grace.’

‘Well, of course I won’t if you don’t want me to. Is there something wrong?’

He doesn’t answer for a moment, but he walks faster, striding through the long grass. I keep up, tucking my arm through his. He wraps his hand around mine.

‘Sorry. It’s office politics. Things aren’t great at the moment.’

‘I thought you loved it there.’

‘I did, but I’m not sure that I like the way the company is heading. It’s only money, Grace, stress and money and greed. It’s beginning to feel meaningless, a way of pedalling through life. There’s got to be more.’

‘You can do what you like,’ I tell him. ‘Don’t stay if you hate it.’

He pulls me round and hugs me. ‘Even if it means I take a pay cut?’

‘I don’t care how much you earn. I just want you to be happy.’

Toffee barks, exhorting us to come on; there are sticks to be thrown, birds to be chased, smells to investigate. Lottie runs up and joins our hug and Nick breaks into a smile of pleasure. It’s family that makes him happy. It’s the three of us.

Toffee scampers up and I pat his flank. ‘Yes, you can join in too, you old softy.’