By the time Daybreak’s hoofs had clopped past the first couple of houses in Little Lane, Daisy, Niall and Zuzanna were shivering. ‘Our feet are frozen. We’ll go back to our house,’ Daisy said. ‘See you there, Laurel.’ And they went chattering back to Main Road as if the idea of a hack had had nothing to do with them.

So it was just Laurel on a now sweetly sauntering Daybreak and Grady, hands stuffed in pockets, striding by her stirrup. They turned left off Little Lane with the stream to their right, swollen and muddy, the tree lying across it that had been a bridge for as long as Grady could remember.

Laurel reined in to gaze at the lichened bark of the tree she’d once fallen from. ‘I’m amazed it hasn’t rotted away.’

‘I suppose it will, one day.’ The thought made Grady’s mood dip. It underlined how fast life could pass. Maybe it was that which made him say, ‘I’m sorry you felt you had to leave as soon as my brother walked in, last night.’

She patted Daybreak’s neck, saying, ‘Good girl,’ as if giving herself time to think before answering, ‘Not as soon as.’

He glanced up at her, though it meant looking into the harsh winter light, which sent pain shooting through his eyeballs. ‘OK. You went quiet, then left as soon as you could gulp your drink.’

‘Sorry,’ she murmured.

He made his voice soft. ‘I understand your old antipathies. I’ve challenged Mac about Poison Amie and I think he feels guilty he did nothing to stop her.’

‘Childish of me to still not take to him, huh? It’s no reflection on you.’ She gazed down into his eyes. ‘It was never anything to do with you but I handled things badly.’ With a gentle kick she set Daybreak walking along the footpath once more. Tiny, whirling flakes of snow began to fall, making the pony shake her head and snort.

Grady changed the subject, suddenly wanting to enjoy this time with Laurel while the snowflakes shrouded them from the rest of the world. ‘Got your studio set up, yet?’

‘Ready to go,’ she confirmed, a note of enthusiasm creeping into her voice. ‘I know what my next subject is and I’ll soon start preliminary sketches. I’m feeling antsy after taking the break while I moved here. I made a bargain with myself that I’d give loads of time to Rea and Daisy this weekend, then dive in on Monday.’

He pulled up his collar. ‘Can I see your studio sometime?’ The snow was beginning to find crevices to settle into, white veins on the packed earth of the bridleway. His feet were so cold he felt as if he were stumbling along on two blocks of ice.