THE RAIN KEPT UP THE NEXT DAY, SO THEY SPENT THE morning in Totnes visiting the museum, where they had to suffer the humiliation of dressing up as Victorian children. After that they shopped for food.

The car journey back was a nightmare, because Nick managed to work things so that he was sitting next to her. Actually, Taisie suspected it was the twins’ fault. They were sitting in the back, whispering and giggling. It was precisely the sort of situation they would find funny. Izzy sat in the front. The little boys had gone in Cora’s car with Lorna. Obviously, her mum orchestrated that arrangement. She didn’t want to be cleaning mud off the seats, and the ancient Volvo Estate Lorna and Angus kept down here was filthy anyway. Last time Taisie sat in it, she got straw stuck to the backs of her thighs.

Back home, they fell out of the car and sprinted to the house. Not that it made any difference. They were all soaked to the skin anyway. God, what a waste of time that was. The only people enjoying themselves were Rory and Alex, who were so easily pleased it was pathetic.

‘Find something to do,’ Lorna said, as soon as they were inside.

Taisie and the twins wanted to go upstairs and chill, but no, they had to ‘do’ something that involved ‘all of you’ and not ‘leave anyone out’. As if they hadn’t wasted an entire morning doing exactly that.

‘Let’s play Sardines!’ Rory shouted from the downstairs toilet.

Taisie rolled her eyes and glanced at Pansy. She rolled hers back.

‘I think that’s a wonderful idea,’ her mother said.

‘Are you going to play too?’ Taisie asked, raising her eyebrows to make it obvious she was being sarcastic.

‘I don’t think so, darling. We’ll tidy up downstairs.’

The three men wandered out of the kitchen, holding half-drunk bottles of beer. Taisie looked such a mess, standing there in her socks and damp clothes. Tim barely looked at her. Yesterday he said that he must introduce her to Tom Gale because they’d get on like a house on fire. She had wanted to ask why, but her mum had flicked a stony glance her way. She had returned it with a scowl. What was her problem, for Christ’s sake?

She risked a quick glance at Tim, but he was messing with Rory, his hand on her brother’s head as he flailed with his fists, giggling hysterically. Tim was brilliant with children. It was scary how hard she was falling for Nick’s dad. Now she couldn’t stop thinking about him. At least it took her mind off Nick. He was so immature.

‘What about the dads?’ Pansy asked. ‘Are you going to play Sardines, or sit around drinking beer all afternoon?’

‘Don’t be cheeky,’ Angus said.