‘You’re from London?’ Although London is barely sixty miles from Pluckley, the difference in the pace of life, the attitudes of the villagers compared to Londoners is at such odds that it often feels like a different world to me down here. We spend the rest of the afternoon talking about the things we miss about living in a big city – the regular public transport, the lack of Deliveroo and Uber Eats in the country.

‘I miss the theatres,’ I say. ‘Rav and I used to go to the West End a lot, we’d go for a quick dinner somewhere – The Ivy if it was a special occasion – and then go and watch a show. What I wouldn’t give for a plate of shepherd’s pie from The Ivy for dinner tonight.’

‘Borough Market,’ Tara says with a groan. ‘Saturday morning spent wandering around the market, then a walk along the river and a few beers in the sunshine.’

‘Oxford Street,’ I say with a grin.

‘The MAC counter in Selfridges.’

‘The space,’ I sigh.

‘Space? Surely you have more space here?’ Tara says.

‘Space from people, I mean,’ I say, thinking as I say it that perhaps she isn’t the right person to be saying it to. ‘I’m used to being ignored on the Tube, not being questioned by people in the village shop as to how Rav is doing at work.’

Tara laughs. ‘Sorry, you probably thought I was a right nosy parker when I started chatting to you that day soon after the baby was born. You’ll be surprised how quickly village intimacy becomes the new normal.’

Village intimacy? Like, walking through the woods that back onto my garden? ‘Tara, what do you know about the woods?’

‘The woods?’ She looks past me, out of the window to the trees. ‘What about them?’

‘I know they belong to us technically and they are private property, but do many people use them? I haven’t really seen anyone in there, but it has been a really long, wet winter. I just wondered if many people walked through there, seeing as they do back on to the garden.’

‘Not that I know of.’ Tara frowns. ‘I mean, maybe some people might use them, but I wouldn’t really understand why. They don’t cut through anywhere into the village, so they aren’t used as a footpath, if you see what I mean. Most people use the land on the other side of the village for dog walking and stuff. That’s where all the ghost hunters go, when they’re on their ghost tours.’ She is quiet for a moment. ‘Why do you ask? Is there something worrying you?’ She leans in close, letting Rufus grab hold of her finger. ‘Have you seen someone in there? Heard something?’

‘Oh, not really. Maybe.’

‘Maybe?’