Page 13 of Secret Paths

“It rained last night.”

“You are expecting a flood?”

“I am expecting wet grass.” She glances down at my boots. “You should try planning ahead. It is very soothing.”

I look past her towards Alexandra. “Did she talk you into this?”

“She said I needed fresh air.”

“Did she?”

“She said I had spent too much of the week indoors.”

“Harsh.”

“She was not wrong.”

The way she says it takes some of the joke out of me.

“Bad week?”

Mandy shifts the strap of her rucksack higher on her shoulder. “Long one.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing dramatic.” She looks towards the low hills beyond the village. “A home visit that ran late. More paperwork than any human being needs. A family who needed more help than I could give them in one appointment.”

“That sounds rough.”

“It is part of the job.”

“It can be part of the job and still be rough.”

Her eyes flick to mine.

For a second, she looks as though she might say something else. Then Nancy claps her hands.

“Right, everyone. We’re heading through the lower fields, up to High Wood, then along the ridge and back by the quarry. It’s muddy in places, but nothing too dramatic.”

Mrs Higgins glances down at Bernard.

“Did you hear that, love? Mud.”

Bernard sighs through his nose.

Mandy laughs quietly.

Nancy starts the group moving. Hunter and Alexandra head off together near the front, their fingers interlocked as they walk. Nancy and Luke follow with the map between them. Mrs Higgins produces the foil packet from her pocket, and Bernard gets off the bench with such sudden enthusiasm that she nearly loses hold of the lead.

“Bribery,” I mutter.

“He is motivated,” Mrs Higgins calls.

Mandy falls into step beside me as we leave the green.

The lane behind the church is narrow, boxed in by dripping hedges and old stone walls. Water sits in the ruts from the night before. Mandy steps straight through the first puddle, sending a small splash up the side of her boot.

“You brought spare socks for that?” I ask.