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‘OK, outside,’ said Austin, looking stressed

‘Oh, can’t he stay?’ said Issy, without thinking ‘We’re just doing so …’

Austin looked at her It was almost impossible to believe Here she was, in a flowery pinny, her cheeks pink, her eyes sparkling, with a bunch of rug rats, baking cupcakes She didn’t look anything like an evil property developer He tore his gaze away

‘I told hiruntled, with everyone’s eyes upon him

‘I vite mah fren Dahnee to mah pahtee,’ calanced down Oh great, this was all he needed No one could refuse Louis anything

‘Is mah birfday I free, not five!’ said Louis ‘Not five, no,’ he said again wonderingly, as if he couldn’t quite believe it hiive me bown arrs’

Austin blinked while he translated this Then he glanced at Darny in soive hied his shoulders ‘He’s my friend, innit’

‘Don’t say innit,’ said Austin autoood’

‘Does that mean he can stay?’ said Caroline froet you anything?’

Darny skipped off to the end of the long tables where Pearl was helping everyone spoon their cakeout to play Ring a Ring o’ Roses round the tree,’ she was explaining, ‘and when you’ve finished the gaain, the cakes will be ready’

‘Yay!’ yelled the little ones

‘No thanks,’ said Austin, then reconsidered ‘Yes, get me a latte Last chance of a decent cup of coffee for a while’

Issy was surprised by how jolted she hen he said this

‘Why?’ she said ‘Going somewhere?’

Austin stared at her ‘No,’ he said ‘You are’

‘What do you mean?’ said Issy, conscious that down the other end of the table one of the children had dropped their cakeShe felt for Oliver’sanywhere?’

That was such a relief Why did she feel it was such a relief? And as Austin staring at her like that? It was a strange look, full of curiosity, but also so a little like conteht, how little she’d noticed hi how scruffy he was, but she’d rather got used to that Whereas nohen he looked a little fierce, she noticed what she’d eous, like Graeelled hair Gorgeous in an open, honest, kind, srey eyes always narrowed as if thinking of a private joke; the wide, dirin; the tousled, schoolboy hair Funny how one didn’t notice these things always, not at first Well, there you go No wonder she wanted – had wanted, she told herself firmly – to kiss hi round ‘Forget the coffee, er …’

‘Caroline!’ trilled Caroline

‘Yeah, whatever Darny, I’ll be back to pick you up in an hour Meet uely, as excited as the three-year-olds by the enor thes as to ould happen if they so er near it