‘Thistle?’ she sings out, her voice absorbed by the snow. She tries again, a little louder. ‘Thistle? Come here, girl!’ She slows to a walk, squinting back into the low sunshine to the east and then turning to scan the fields and the edge of the woodland. She spots her now, by the water’s edge, digging at the ground, sending up a shower of mud-speckled snow behind her. ‘What are you doing?’ she asks, jogging over to get a closer look. By the time she reaches Thistle, the dog has unearthed something, which it holds tightly in its mouth. ‘What have you got there? A stick? You want to play fetch?’ But Thistle bounds away, showing an impressive burst of speed, tearing round in a large loop, back legs powering, her hind paws hitting the ground impossibly far forward of her nose with every stride, tail down, ears flat, round and round she goes. Tilda stands, hands on hips in amazement. ‘Well, if you’d run like that after a hare you might have actually caught one. Daft creature. Come on, don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some breakfast.’

As they approach Ty Gwyn, Tilda is cheered to see smoke rising from both chimneys. When she enters the kitchen it is to the sound of the kettle whistling and eggs being fried.

‘Perfect timing,’ says Dylan as she takes off her hat.

‘Perfect houseguest,’ she tells him. ‘Fires lit and breakfast cooked.’

He turns to grin at her and then freezes, staring. For an instant Tilda wonders if he has seen the ghost, such is the look of shock on his face. But no, she realizes, it is not horror, but surprise. And he is looking directly at her.

‘I’m sorry,’ he says, suddenly embarrassed, ‘I didn’t mean to … just wasn’t expecting … I’m really sorry I did that,’ he says, and busies himself with the cooking. ‘Stupid of me. Sit yourself down, eggs are nearly ready.’

Puzzled, Tilda is about to do as he says when she remembers.

My contact lenses! I forgot to put them in this morning.