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Fox shook his head.

‘It’s a pagan Gaelic fire festival. I think it originated with the start of the lambing season, but it’s mainly associated with new beginnings. I like that.’

‘You’ve travelled so much,’ he said. ‘It makes my life feel smaller, living in this little corner of England.’

‘But you love it?’ she said.

‘I do.’ He grinned. ‘It’s the perfect place to bring up my family.’

He drained his bottle of beer and placed it on the table. She did the same. Time to go. She didn’t want to outstay her welcome, or overstep any boundaries. And his proximity was not helping matters in the slightest.

‘Thanks for the beer,’ she said.

‘Sounds like everything went well today.’ He met her eyes and held them. ‘Thanks.’ She could feel the sincerity coming off him and had a sudden urge to give him a hug and tell him that everything would be all right. She would look after his family for him.

She picked Willow up in her moses basket instead.

‘It was great,’ she reassured him. ‘And tomorrow I get the bonus of finding out what boogie beats is.’ She motioned to the calendar as she passed and moved towards the door.

‘I won’t spoil the surprise for you,’ he said, laughing.

He peeked into the basket as she went past. Willow blinked back up at him.

‘She looks cosy in there,’ he said, reaching out a finger to touch the baby’s head. Robyn stepped through the door before he got the chance.

‘Night, Fox,’ Robyn said, a rush of emotion threatening to engulf her suddenly. She must be tired.

‘Night, Red.’

Oh God. That name. That night. She fled into the dusky garden to hide herself away.

Chapter Eight

Fox

That first week went by somehow. Sometimes, it felt like the time was flying past, hours disappearing in minutes. That was when he was in his office, absorbed in his new ideas – not having to think about dinner, or shopping, or keeping an eye on the clock ahead of the school run. The nannying thing was working like a charm. Other times, minutes would drag like hours, as a whole day passed between leaving the boys at breakfast and seeing them again for dinner. A whole day when they did things without him, learned new things, tried new things, with Robyn. It was an odd feeling. He often found himself looking at Meg’s photo on the corkboard as he put the dog to bed at night, wondering what she would have made of it.

River Rats had been cancelled earlier that week for bad weather, which was a godsend because he still hadn’t managed to find the old car seat. It was on his list for the weekend. But now, at last, it was Friday afternoon. He hung up on his last call of the week with an almost giddy feeling, and leaned back in his office chair. Everything was on target so far. He’d definitely earned a beer.

Fox checked his watch as he walked through to the kitchen. The boys should still be at Friday Fun Club and Robyn would be waiting for them. He swung open the fridge and surveyed the contents, before picking up a can of beer and cracking it open. As the first cold swallow hit the back of his throat, he sighed dramatically to himself.

A shout from the back garden caught his attention. It was Reggie’s voice, laughing. Then he heard George’s high shrieks of delight. He slid open the bifold doors and followed the noise.

The shrieks got louder as he rounded the corner and then he heard splashing. They were in the pool. His walk turned into a run. What were they doing? Where was Robyn? He sprinted but then slowed to what he hoped looked like a casual stroll when he spotted Reggie wearing armbands and George a buoyancy vest. The pool was heated so they’d be warm enough in there, even though the autumn air was chilly. He saw the towelling robes laid out on the sunbeds nearby, the boys’ slippers tucked underneath. He spotted the moses basket resting on a lounger, covered with a thick blanket. The boys both bobbed around on the surface with goggles on, but they weren’t looking at him, they were now face down, looking under the water.

Suddenly, Reggie lifted his head, spluttering, and shrieked, ‘Shark!’ pointing and splashing manically under the water by George.

George squealed in happy terror as Robyn swam between them under the water.

Fox saw the red of her hair flowing out behind her like seaweed. He took another hasty glug of his beer.

She broke the surface and snapped with her arms, pretending to eat the boys. They splashed and screamed, obviously having the time of their lives. He sank onto the sun lounger next to the baby to watch. Willow waved chubby arms happily in his direction and he saw her wide, black-lashed eyes staring out at him.

George spotted him first.

‘Dad!’ he yelled in delight. ‘Come in!’

The cry was taken up by Reggie too. Robyn paused in her game and stood up, her shoulders emerging from the water. They were lightly freckled, like her face. Like he knew the rest of her body was – little constellations on her breasts, and her back. He shook himself back to the present.