Jack crouched down next to her, one of his knees making a loud crack as he did so. ‘How about five more minutes of horsey before dinner and then you and Freddy go and get washed up. Deal?’

‘Deal!’ she said, jumping up and down in excitement, her cherubic little face now wearing a wide grin and the bright blue eyes shining. She flung her arms around Jack and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. ‘I love you, Uncle Jack.’

‘I love you too, chickpea.’

‘Can you bend down now? I can’t get on.’

‘How about we go outside in the garden? The floor’s a bit hard for Uncle Jack’s old knees in here.’

She was out of the door before you could say tally-ho.

‘I want to ride too!’ Freddy said, charging out after them. Moments later, Jack was tramping about on his hands and knees with both the children on his back, geeing him up to go faster.

‘I think he might be regretting coming back from New Zealand right about now,’ Felix said, standing at the threshold of the bi-fold doors.

I went to stand beside him. Jack was a big bloke, but the two children together bouncing up and down were definitely no lightweights. The smile on his face and the deep laughter that rang across the garden, mingling with theirs, gave me the impression that he was enjoying it almost as much as they were.

Hurrying upstairs to change, I pulled on an old pair of jersey shorts instead of my jeans and relished the moment that all women do, the removal of the bra. My top was loose, and I wasn’t endowed enough to make it a problem. The relief was bliss. When I came down, Jack was still out in the garden, but obviously tiring. Poppy and Felix were busy setting out bowls and drinks. I stepped out into the garden towards the giggling mass being circled and danced around by Clive. ‘I think it’s about time this horsey was taken in for stabling, don’t you?’

‘Noooo! Just a few more minutes.’

‘Come on,’ I said, leaning over and lifting Ruby off. ‘It’s time for dinner anyway, you need to go in and wash your hands, both of you. Come on, Freddy.’ He dismounted as reluctantly as his sister but they were soon distracted by Clive’s antics and ran towards the house with the dog.

Once they were out of sight, Jack collapsed in a heap and rolled onto his back, his arms out at his side like a crucifix. ‘I think you may have just saved my life.’

‘Well, we can’t be sending you to the glue factory just yet, can we?’

He laughed, warm and melodic. ‘You say the nicest things.’

‘Thanks. I try.’ I crouched down next to him, my back to the kitchen. ‘Are you sure you’re all right?’

His hand moved along the grass and touched mine where it was resting in order to prevent me overbalancing. ‘I’m fine. Really. I love spending time with them. I feel like I’ve missed out on so much. Not such a great godfather, eh?’