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Athene H-P: Off to bloody agency meeting.

Leaving straight after breakfast meet with German publisher. Think new contract on way.

Mum: Wish we could be there. Twins doing well.

Jess’s reaction made her smile and filled her with a fresh anticipation at seeing her friend’s face.

Wanda’s response made her smile too, but for totally different reasons. Her aunt – her mum’s sister – was the kindest person on the planet but was constantly on the lookout for threats in the most mundane places.

For a nanosecond, Katie contemplated messaging the group to say a strange man with an axe was staying the night but decided that she didn’t have the bandwidth required to deal with the multiple reactions that would provoke. Wanda would probably call Katie’s mother too.

Katie had wondered whether her aunt would really fit in on this trip. At sixty-seven, Wanda was thirty-three years older than Katie. Jess had been in the same year as Katie at uni, studying Fashion and Textiles while Katie did English Lit. Katie wasn’t 100 per cent sure of Athene’s age but guessed early forties.

Despite the age gap, Katie was determined that Wanda would be part of the fun. Her aunt, who was her mum’s older sister, had been wonderful to Katie during the past year.

Even so, she didn’t dare message about Arlo and his chopper. While the others would take the message as a joke, Wanda would be genuinely worried. Who could blame her after her worst fears had – only once but spectacularly – come true?

Originally, Katie’s parents had been invited too but had had to rush to Devon to help out with the new babies. They’d offered to try to make it up to the house towards the end of the stay, but Katie wasn’t hopeful. The Island House certainly had plenty of room: six spacious bedrooms that could accommodate everyone.

Any joke about a strange man staying over would result in Jess demanding details that Katie didn’t want to supply and with Athene suggesting that it was a great premise for a novel Katie didn’t want to write.

Obviously realising she’d been indiscreet, Athene had deleted her WhatsApp and sent another. Sorry. See you tomorrow. A x.

With a glass of wine at her side, Katie sank back into the sofa, put the huge TV on silent and took in her surroundings. The walls had a lot of pictures. Some were obviously old, mostly landscapes in watercolour and oils, but others looked much more contemporary. The eclectic mix of old and new matched the house with its antique furniture and modern appliances. The fire had burned down and, even with the heating kicking in, she needed one of the many throws over her legs.

Arlo knocked and walked in with a basket, followed by Pongo, who jumped on the nearest armchair. ‘Hello. Thought you might need some more logs. Pongo! Off there!’ he ordered and put the basket on the hearth.

Pongo slunk off most reluctantly and lay in front of the fire with his head on his paws. He let out an exasperated sigh and gave them a filthy look as if he were a football player who has just been given a red card.

‘I don’t mind,’ Katie said. ‘You can’t blame him wanting to be comfortable.’

‘I don’t, though he knows he’s not allowed on furniture. Not in the guest areas, anyway.’

She sat upright. ‘Will he mind staying over? Won’t he miss his own bed?’ By which Katie meant would Arlo miss his bed.

‘He loves an adventure,’ Arlo said very seriously yet Katie could see the laughter in his eyes. ‘Now, if I add a couple of logs to the fire, it should keep you going until you want to go up. Then I’ll get out of your hair.’

Katie nodded, watching him crouch down. She’d never made a fire or had a house with an open hearth but she was very much looking forward to becoming an expert by the end of the fortnight. His jeans had slipped down, revealing the waistband of his boxers. Wow, Oddballs, a quirky eco-brand. Interesting. Katie would have put him in something more conventional. Either way, he had a very nice muscular bottom and strong thighs.

‘Right, that should last you.’

He got up swiftly and turned to face her. Katie shoved a chunk of pork pie in her mouth, aware her cheeks must be reddening. Hopefully he’d think it was the fire.

‘Th-danks,’ she managed through the mouthful of pie.

‘I’ll leave you to it, then,’ he said.

Katie swallowed the pie quickly. ‘Um. I thought you’d be staying for some food.’ The words unexpectedly tumbled out her mouth in her rush to detain him.

He frowned. ‘Oh, I’ll find something.’

‘What? You weren’t expecting to eat with me? You must have some of the bits out of the fridge. There’s so much of it! Anyone would think I was feeding a rugby team.’

He shook his head. ‘I couldn’t take your food.’

‘But you want to …’ Katie said with a wry smile. ‘And you can’t starve. Why don’t you sit down and have some?’ She waggled the plate towards him and his eyes lingered on the food, his hungry gaze reminding her of Pongo, who also stood by, tongue lolling.

‘I must admit that pie looks very tempting.’