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said, ‘Of course I am.’

      ‘School’s broken up for Christmas, so when Mum told me you were staying at the hall so you could treat Uncle George, I asked if I could come and see you. But Uncle Rafe said you were all snowed up…’

      So it had been Katie Rafe had been talking to when he used the endearment sweetheart, not Fiona.

      ‘Did you enjoy flying in the helicopter?’ Katie asked eagerly.

      ‘Yes, I quite liked it.’

      ‘I thought you would,’ the child said proudly. ‘That’s why I asked Uncle Rafe if he could bring you to see me.’

      So though he must have known he was running a risk, known that she might refuse to go back with him, he’d brought her to please Katie.

      ‘He didn’t tell me,’ Madeleine said.

      ‘I asked him not to say anything because I wanted to surprise you.’

      ‘Well, you certainly did that.’ She squeezed the child’s hand. Then, puzzled, asked, ‘But surely you didn’t come alone?’

      ‘No, Helga, the au pair, brought me. She’ll be coming back for me at two o’clock…’

      Which meant she would have to delay her escape, Madeleine realised. There was no way she could disappear while Katie was still here.

      ‘Mum is at work,’ the child went on. ‘She’s going to join us as soon as she can get away. But she said to start eating without her, just in case she can’t make it for lunch.

      ‘I’m hungry already. I was too excited to eat much breakfast. Are you hungry, Maddy?’

      Still feeling churned up, Madeleine lied, ‘Yes, I am.’

      ‘Well, if my two favourite girls are hungry—’ Rafe put an arm around each of them ‘—let’s go and eat.’

      Katie fairly danced along, her dark, glossy plait swinging. ‘While we have lunch I can tell you all about Bertrand…’

      When, seated by one of the long windows in the pleasant dining room, they had finished ordering, Madeleine asked, ‘Who’s Bertrand?’

      ‘He’s the Labrador that Uncle Rafe is giving me for Christmas. Though I’m fine again now, Mum and Dad don’t want me to ride any more until I’m grown up, so they agreed I could have a dog. Bertrand’s about six months old and I’m getting him tomorrow, because the sanctuary doesn’t open on Christmas Day.

      ‘I decided to call him Bertrand because that’s Uncle Rafe’s middle name…’

      ‘Is it really?’ Madeleine laughed. ‘I didn’t know that.’

      Rafe grimaced. ‘Not a lot of people do.’

      Then to Katie, ‘Do you have to tell all my most shameful secrets? And come to that, how do you know?’

      The little girl giggled. ‘Mum told me. But she thinks Bertrand is rather grand for a puppy, so I’ll probably call him Bertie for short.’ She turned her attention back to Madeleine. ‘He was rescued when his previous owner left him shut in the basement of a derelict house,’ she explained. ‘He’d almost starved to death before he was found. But he’s very friendly and he still likes people.

      ‘He’s from the Mill House Animal Sanctuary. Uncle Rafe gives them lots of money to help the animals…’

      While they waited for the meal to be served, and between courses, Katie chatted away non-stop.

      Madeleine smiled and listened and marvelled that a child she had regarded as quiet and a little shy could be so talkative.

      Catching her eye, Rafe said with a wry smile, ‘As a rule Katie doesn’t say much, but when she gets excited she could talk for England.’

      They had almost finished their coffee before Diane herself came hurrying in, wearing a businesslike grey suit and carrying a black shoulder-bag-cum-briefcase. Her cheeks were flushed and she sounded more than a shade breathless as she said, ‘Hi there.’

      ‘You’re very late, Mum,’ Katie pointed out.

      ‘Yes, I know, darling, and I’m sorry. I began to think I wasn’t going to make it at all. I was trapped into having lunch with a client.’

      She gave her brother, who had risen at her approach, a peck on the cheek and, stooping to hug Madeleine, said with obvious sincerity, ‘It’s good to have you back.’

      ‘I expect you can do with some coffee?’ Rafe asked.

      ‘You’re a mind-reader.’ Dropping into the chair he’d pulled out for her, Diane smoothed a hand over the dark hair that fell straight and gleaming to her shoulders, and grumbled, ‘Sometimes I wonder why I keep on working.’

      He smiled. ‘You know perfectly well that you love your work. If you didn’t have it, you’d be lost.’

      ‘That’s true. I just don’t want to be a mirror image of Mother.’

      He raised an eyebrow. ‘I don’t think you need to worry on that score.’

      ‘But you wouldn’t want your wife to have a career,’ Diane noted.

      ‘I’d prefer her not to. Unless it would make her seriously unhappy to give it up. If that was the case, I’d have to withdraw my opposition…’ He sat back confidently.

      They chatted for a minute or so until the fresh coffee had arrived and been poured, before Katie reminded him, ‘Uncle Rafe, you promised you’d show me the inside of your helicopter some time and let me sit in the pilot’s seat…’

      ‘Well, I will, sweetheart.’

      ‘Can’t you do it now?’ She glanced at her watch. ‘It’s only a quarter to two.’

      As Rafe hesitated, Diane said, ‘Go if you want to. Maddy and I can catch up on some gossip.’

      ‘Oh, please, Uncle Rafe.’ Katie was already on her feet and tugging at his arm.

      He cast his eyes heavenwards. ‘I should have more sense than promise these things.’

      ‘Go on,’ Diane urged, ‘you know you want to.’ Then to Madeleine, ‘Men always enjoy showing off their toys.’

      ‘Femaled into it,’ he said with mock-resignation. ‘Come on, then, Poppet. We’ll pick up your coat on the way out.’

      ‘It’s Helga’s yoga class this afternoon,’ Diane reminded her daughter, ‘so if you see her come while you’re out there, you’d better go straight home with her. Daddy should be there by the time you get back.’

      ‘All right…Bye, then, Mum.’

      ‘Bye, darling. I won’t be late tonight.’

      ‘That’s good. Bye, Maddy. Come and see us soon—then you’ll be able to meet Bertie. I think you’ll like him.’ Katie ran back and put her arms round Maddy.

      ‘I’m sure I will,’ Madeleine agreed, and hugged the slight figure.

      ‘Come on, then, Uncle Rafe…’ She took his hand.

      Over the child’s head his eyes met Madeleine’s, an unmistakable warning in their cool green depths, as he said lightly, ‘I’ll be back in ten minutes or so. Don’t go anywhere.’

      As the tall, broad-shouldered man and the slender dark-haired child turned away, they heard Katie coax, ‘If I’m very careful, will you let me try on the earphones, Uncle Rafe?’

      He smiled down at her. ‘I dare say.’

      ‘Oh, goodie!’

      While the pair made their way to the door, Diane sipped her coffee and looked after them fondly. ‘I’ll be pleased when Rafe settles down and has a family of

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