I would have been embarrassed at the show of affection, but seeing Becky wrestling with the temptation to make a comment was worth it.

Hope was less bothered about her room, but I knew in years to come she’d appreciate the cornflower walls and life-sized stencil of an apple tree. Her soft furnishings were a stripy mix of buttercup yellow, red and navy, and above the changing table we had hung an enlarged copy of the picture of her on the day she was born that Charlie had kept in her room. We had re-covered an armchair in vibrant yellow fabric scattered with tiny red chickens, and placed it next to a bookshelf crammed with stories. Everything was orderly and bright, and I was optimistic Hope would sleep long, sweet dreams in here compared to the dingy junk-room she was used to.

Daniel cried. Actual tears. Which made me cry, too.

‘I don’t know how you ended up here, or where you came from, but I’m growing more and more convinced you must be an angel,’ he whispered, burying his face in my hair.

I allowed myself to enjoy the rush of pleasure for a lingering moment until the age-old stab of guilt wormed its way between us.

Becky beamed at me, eyes brimming. I ducked my head and turned away.

Having barely spent any proper time together since arriving back home due to Daniel slaving away at his work backlog, and me alternating between working on the top floor and avoiding him, while grabbing a quick bowl of pasta that evening, he asked if I wanted to walk into Ferrington on Saturday to have lunch.

‘I would love to. On one condition.’

Daniel eyed me expectantly.

‘We go to the Water Boatman.’

He put down his fork so quickly it clattered against the bowl. ‘That’s on the New Side.’

‘I know. I’ve been there before.’

‘We can’t walk there.’

‘Yes, we can. It will take longer, that’s all.’ I carried on eating, all easy-breezy as if no one sensible would consider it a big deal.

‘It’s miles along a dual carriageway. You can’t walk it!’

I pulled out my phone and opened the maps app. ‘Here. You can follow the footpaths along the Maddon, turn off through this farm, past this wood. And look, here. There’s a footbridge over the river that leads to another footpath. It’s three and a half miles from the farm to the pub, and not a main road in sight.’

‘The Old Boat House has a really good lunch menu. Do they even allow kids in the Boatman? I’ve heard it isn’t the most… family friendly clientele.’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Luke goes there every Friday night, according to you.’

‘He’s the one who told me.’ Daniel resumed eating.

‘They have a whole family dining area in a separate room. And Alice is working there on Saturday. I’ve not seen her in ages.’

Daniel raised an eyebrow. ‘Do you want to show me off?’