The hollow, enclosed by the ancient-looking trees, was dotted by dark peaty pools and fallen moss-covered trunks, with here and there a carved creature, some of which she’d seen from the hill at Beanach.

What she hadn’t spotted was the centrepiece of this display.

Two larger intricate carvings, which she immediately recognized as symbols of new life. The green man and woman of the woods.

Joanne took a seat on a mossy log and breathed it all in.

She could imagine this would be where couples would meet and, she acknowledged, it more closely resembled her own woodland fantasy than the place Greg had chosen for her.

Using her mobile, she took a series of photographs for the piece she was working on. The article she hadn’t mentioned to Greg. The one she would likely publish under her pseudonym and not Joanne Addington.

She was disturbed in these thoughts by the sudden arrival of a black Labrador, who immediately bounded over to greet her.

‘Hello there. Who are you, I wonder?’ she said, rubbing the glossy coat.

It was a female voice that answered. ‘Her name’s Heidi.’

Looking up, she found Caroline observing her. ‘Greg gave her to me. She’s one of Sasha’s litter.’

‘Oh,’ was all Joanne could think of saying. ‘She’s lovely.’

‘I hear there’s trouble at the Party House,’ Caroline said. ‘I take it Greg’s up there?’

Joanne had no idea how to respond. What would Greg want her to say?

She decided to feign ignorance. ‘Colin called him this morning. No idea what the problem was,’ she lied.

Caroline didn’t respond, but continued to observe her as though she were a goldfish in a bowl. Caroline’s bowl.

The mark of the intruder now firmly branded on her brow, Joanne decided her best defence was escape.

‘Well,’ she said, glancing at her watch, ‘I’d better get on.’

‘Where are you heading?’ Caroline demanded.

‘Just a wander in the woods. It’s lovely, don’t you think? Especially this place.’

Caroline gave the glade a cursory glance. ‘It’s a place where young folk come to fuck,’ she said pointedly. ‘Everyone in the village has had sex here at some time or another. Especially when we were teenagers.’ She indicated the green man and woman. ‘Just as well not all of us fell pregnant.’

Joanne was pretty sure that was a loaded remark, but didn’t hang about for further enlightenment.

‘It was nice meeting you,’ she offered as she made for the path out of the mossy dell without looking back.

Her heart was pounding, and not because she was currently climbing a hill. What the hell was Caroline alluding to with the sex and pregnancy references? And she’d made a big thing about Heidi being an offspring of one of Greg’s dogs.