A group of men have gathered under the now vacant thatched roof of the café with their musical instruments and have started up a vibrant, lilting tune. The villagers, all decked out in their Sunday best, gather round, clapping and singing along. To my embarrassment Dean pulls me into the centre of the circle and starts twirling me round, causing great hilarity all round.

‘Strut that funky stuff, girl!’ he orders as he spins me.

After watching for a while for their amusement, the villagers join in twisting and spinning, taking the celebration and whipping it up another gear.

As darkness falls, the music continues and we’ve eaten and drunk our fill and have danced until we dropped. The stars come out, sprinkling the blackness of the sky with diamond pinpricks, and I realise that at this moment I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Chapter fifty-four

Chapter fifty-four

Lee was pulling at the neck of his shirt. ‘What exactly is the purpose of this?’

‘Nothing,’ Edie said, adjusting her hair. ‘We’re going out—alone—to have a good time.’

‘But we never do that,’ Lee said, checking that there was nothing untoward in his teeth in the dressing table mirror. He suddenly looked up. ‘Have I forgotten our anniversary?’

‘No.’

Her husband breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thank goodness.’ A look of panic sprang up in his eyes. ‘It’s not your birthday?’

‘No,’ Eddie said. She went and wrapped her arms round him. ‘I just thought it was time we went out together, forgot about the kids, kicked up our heels.’

Lee looked uncertain.

‘Kelly will be fine. She’s been bribed with pizza and hard cash. And threatened with a slow and painful death if she misbehaves. We’ll have the mobile with us if there are any problems.’

‘And where are we going?’

‘We’re going out for dinner and then on to a nightclub.’

‘A nightclub.’ Lee shuddered. ‘Does that mean I’ll be required to dance?’

‘Until your feet drop off.’

‘My feet might have forgotten what to do.’

‘We’ve got all night for them to remember.’

‘That’s what I was afraid of,’ her husband said. ‘I might have to get horribly drunk.’

‘I’m relying on it.’ Edie nuzzled into his neck.

‘You’re not going to take advantage of me while I’m under the influence of alcohol?’

‘I think it’s essential.’

Lee smiled at her. ‘Why don’t we do this going-out thing more often?’

‘Because we can never get rid of the children and we’re broke.’

‘I knew there was a reason.’