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“How wild are we talking?” Knowing her ability to party, Kitty was surprised Julia hadn’t gone bonkers cooped up on her own.

“Last time we had a function at the pub, I spotted two ladies on High Street. One was taking the other home in a wheelbarrow.”

Kitty pictured two elderly spinsters weaving down the road, the one in the barrow brandishing a bottle of wine and a fat cigar. She giggled.

“Don’t worry, I’ll behave,” said Julia. “I can’t drink too much because of my painkillers.”

Kitty put her coffee cup down on the wooden table in front of her. “Who’s taking you?” she asked, secretly looking forward to some alone time. She’d got to a rather juicy bit in her mum’s book,The Scottish Scoundrel,that deserved a more thorough reading. From memory, that book had been one of Kitty’s primary sources for her early sex education.

“I was hopingyou’dtake me,” replied Julia as she tickled Herod’s ears.

Kitty’s stomach dropped. An afternoon at The Five Bob meant a very high likelihood of running into Daniel Cunningham. The thought filled her with a mixture of excitement and terror.She hadn’t seen or heard from him since their moonlit stroll, but she had thought of him. More often than she would have liked.

“Not one of your friends?” Kitty said, praying her aunt would find another chaperone. Julia sighed. “Nobody is expecting me, and I’d like to make an entrance. Please, darling. We’ll only be out for a little while.”

Kitty reluctantly agreed, telling herself she was accompanying her aunt to be helpful and not as an excuse to see Daniel again.

After much primping and preening on Julia’s part, they left the house together for the slow walk down the lane. Kitty offered to drive, but Julia insisted on walking, saying Jonty could take them home later.

She’d selected a flamboyant, flamingo pink trouser suit and sun hat dressed in fabric peonies. Kitty adored her over-the-top style, envious of her confidence to carry it off.

She herself drew quite a contrast. She wore a utilitarian pair of green slacks, a white shirt, and green espadrilles. She’d pulled her hair back into a high ponytail, and it swung heavily behind her like a pendulum. After receiving a consignment of contact lenses in the post, Kitty was enjoying life without her glasses. The goats would probably have eaten them by now, anyway.

Progress was hot, slow, and steady, and although the two of them chit-chatted about anything and everything, by the time they reached the bakery, Julia was tired. They decided to stop for a coffee and sat at a table outside on the street, ordering two cappuccinos with scones, jam, and cream. The checked tablecloth billowed in the scorching breeze, and a vase of delicate poppies wilted in the sun. Kitty hoped her mascara was still intact and not halfway down her cheeks.

“So, give me an update. What’s been going on in your world?” asked Julia.

Kitty sighed. “I’m getting radio silence from the head-hunters. Nothing. I’m unsure if I should be nervous or offended.”

Julia reached out and patted the back of Kitty’s hand. “It’s only been a couple of weeks. Give it time, darling. The perfect opportunity is waiting just around the corner, I'm sure of it.”

Kitty wasn’t convinced she could adopt Julia’s optimistic approach. Used to getting results fast, the search for her ideal role was proving to be anything but. The coffee arrived, and the rich aroma enveloped her nostrils, its familiar smell calming her. She’d make some more calls this afternoon.

The village was its usual quiet self, but a low throbbing reached Kitty’s ears, and she scanned the street. In the distance, she spotted a muddy SUV coming towards them, its engine breaking the silence. When the car drew level, it pulled up alongside the kerb. The tinted window rolled down, and a blonde head stuck out. It had thick, curly ears and a very long tongue. And a silky voice followed it.

“Wendy! Get out of the way,” it pleaded.

Josh!Kitty’s heart skipped, and she stood up, walking towards the car, leaving Julia open-mouthed.

“Get down!” Josh said. His tone was more insistent but was shortly followed by a burst of laughter. “Oh, for God’s sake, this is hopeless!”

An enormous dog greeted Kitty as she walked up to the window. Fearless, she lifted her hands to its head. It had the biggest grin and the softest curls she’d ever felt.

“Hello there,” said Kitty, twisting long ears around her fingers. A dog of this size would normally worry her, but after a few licks, it settled back into the passenger seat with a ‘whump’.

Kitty scrubbed at her cheeks, laughing, while Josh winced.

“I’m sorry for the face wash, but she loves cappuccinos. Normally, I’d prefer a formal introduction, but someone seems to have other ideas.” Josh reached over and gave the top of the dog’s head a scratch. His eyes shone.

“This is Wendy, my entourage. Wendy, this is Kitty, my old friend.”

Ouch. He’d called her a friend. Kitty wasn’t sure why it bothered her so much. Ignoring the gnawing in her gut, she grinned and gave the dog’s ears another tickle.

“She’s lovely!”

“Don’t let her hear you say that. She’s already chewed my socks this morning.”

“Well,” Kitty said, addressing Wendy, “I’m sure they were delicious.”