He has the grace to look embarrassed while my sister turns a deep shade of mortification and tries to melt into the walls. I feel myself flush too.

‘Daisy!’ Edie says. ‘Stop trying to jam that boot on your head!’ She looks apologetically at us. ‘Excuse me.’ And dashes off to beat or berate her children.

‘Sorry about that,’ I offer. ‘And she’s the least embarrassing of all of them.’

‘It’s okay,’ Pip laughs. ‘It’s an everyday occurrence, women falling at my feet.’

‘Yeah, right!’

‘She’s lovely,’ Pip comments, his eyes following my sister. ‘Just like you.’ Then he’s distracted by the untidy heap of mountain-type clothing on the floor. ‘Brave girl,’ Pip says to me, deftly changing the subject. He flicks a thumb at the stacks of gear.

‘Well, you encouraged me to do something with my life. So you’re partly responsible.’

Pip lowers his voice. ‘I suggested you take a lover, not jack in your job and clear off for the foreseeable future.’

‘It feels like the right thing to be doing, Pip.’ I have no other explanation.

‘Then go for it,’ he says and puts his arm round my shoulders. From the other side of the room, my sister winks at me. ‘I, for one, admire you.’

‘You might be the only one,’ I say. But I like the thought of being admired. Isn’t that what I wanted? ‘Oh hell!’ I’m certainly not going to be admired for my hostess skills. ‘I haven’t even offered you a drink.’

‘Your mind is clearly on loftier pursuits.’

‘Wine?’

‘No,’ Pip says. ‘I’m on the bike. I’ll have orange juice or something.’

‘Come and see what I’ve got.’ I go through to the kitchen to find something non-alcoholic for my abstemious guest. Pip follows.

As I pour him a glass of juice, he leans very aesthetically against my fridge. ‘So. Now that we’re alone. How are you?’

‘Oh, fine.’

As I hand over his glass, he touches my fingers and forces me to meet his eyes. ‘How are you really?’

‘Er…really, I’m missing Jake so much it hurts, I’m utterly terrified about this trip. And I’m frightened that my sister may be right and I’ll have to eat yak products for a month.’

‘You’ll be fine.’ Pip smiles softly. ‘It’ll be character building.’

‘That’s what I’m most afraid of.’ I fuss about getting some wine and putting away the juice, then when I can bear it no longer, I blurt out, ‘How’s love’s young dream?’

‘Jake?’ Pip rubs his chin. ‘Also finding out that not all’s necessarily fair in love and war.’

‘Oh?’

‘I’m staying with my original assessment,’ Pip says. ‘If I were a betting man, I’d put a fiver on them splitting up before Christmas.’