Mark smiled. ‘Good job you’re a copper. You’d be dreadful in the dock.’

‘What’s that meant to mean?’ Caroline said, feeling her chest constrict and her voice tighten.

‘Nothing. It was just a joke.’

‘Well it’s not a very funny one.’

‘Alright, alright. Calm down. What’s got into you this morning?’

‘Nothing. I’m fine. Sorry. Just a headache.’

‘What’s the bag for, Mum?’ Archie said, rounding the corner into the kitchen.

‘Hmmm?’

‘The bag by the front door.’

‘Oh. Yeah, I was thinking about going to the gym after work. There’s some new scheme they’re doing. We get it half price with police ID. Thought I’d give it a go. Will see how I feel later.’

‘A gym?’ Mark asked. ‘You’ve never set foot in a gym in your life.’

‘All the more reason to start now, then, isn’t there? Anyway, like I said, I might not bother. I’ll see how I feel after work. Speaking of which,’ she said, glancing at the clock on the kitchen wall, ‘I should get going. I’ve got a meeting first thing.’

19

Even though he liked to think he was quite an easy-going guy, the last few months had been difficult for Mark.

He’d been far less attached to London than Caroline and the boys had been, and only lived within the M25 because it was convenient on the odd occasion he needed to visit clients in town. That had become rarer over the years, with emails and video-conferencing meaning it mattered very little where he lived. Their only links to London had been Caroline’s work and the boys’ schooling — both things which were easily moved.

When the time had come, it had proven remarkably easy to pull the trigger. It wasn’t difficult to sell a house in North London at the best of times, and they’d actually found it much harder to decide where to move to. It had been Caroline’s work which had dictated that, and the house in Oakham had appeared on Rightmove on the same day Caroline applied for the position of Detective Inspector with Rutland Police.

There was a definite undercurrent of unease, though. The family were settling into life in Rutland as well as could be expected, but Mark could tell Caroline wasn’t happy. She’d lived in London all her life, and although he knew she’d find it difficult to adjust to a rural existence, he’d thought she would at least take solace in the positive impact it would have on Archie and Josh.

They both seemed much happier up here, and had made friends quickly. The change in Josh had been extraordinary, especially after the bullying he’d suffered in London. It had, without doubt, been the right decision to move. He just needed Caroline to realise that.