Was she both too young and too old? Or had she already arrived at the categorically too-old stage?

Derek stopped in front of her, an arm’s length away. “I thought you were already asleep.”

She held up an empty mug. “I want some water. Will you come with me?”

He yawned but fell in step with her.

“What were you talking to Clare about?” she asked, regretting the question even as she spoke.

Faye had left home determined to unwind and enjoy herself. Perhaps Derek would see something desirable in her once more, and they’d remember why they were still together. She was already faltering. He’d inevitably interpret her question as insecure and suspicious.

She’d felt guilty about not being more disappointed when Derek told her Michelle wouldn’t join them on the hike after all. It wasn’t that Faye didn’t like her, but it was easier to sustain a façade of self-assurance without their high-achieving friend around. Not only was Michelle a high court judge, but she also ran three-and-a-half-hour marathons, had her own column in a weekend newspaper and cooked like a Michelin chef. She’d barely pushed the pause button on her career to give birth to and raise three children, wore the same dress size as she had at university and, according to Derek, earned more than any of the others could ever dream about. It was hard for Faye not to feel as if she’d been assigned a minor role in the movie about her own life when Michelle was around.

She tried again. “I wondered if she—”

“I was just saying goodnight,” he said.

Faye held the mug beneath the tap. “It’s beautiful here, isn’t it? Makes me realise how noisy the city is.”

“Uh-huh.”

“It’ll be good to get going early tomorrow. Beat the heat and have time to swim in some of the rivers.”

Derek looked up. “And beat the storm.”

“Storm?”

“The woman in the office mentioned the possibility of storms inland when I signed the paperwork and fetched the maps this morning. Might reach us tomorrow.”

Faye stared at him. “One of the rangers warned you?”

“Hmm. . . not really. Mentioned it in passing. Geoff checked his weather app. He would’ve said something if he thought it was a problem.”

“When? When did Geoffrey check his app?”

“I don’t know. A few days ago. No phones out here.”

“A few days ago? But you didn’t say anything to anyone else about what the ranger said?”

Derek shook his head. “I didn’t want to create mass panic. I know how you women can be. We’ll leave early and be at Grootkloof Cabin before the rain even starts.”

“What about the rivers? Won’t they flood if there’s rain inland? Become difficult to cross?”

“You see,” he said, throwing up his hands. “That’s why I didn’t say anything. Your default setting is panic.”