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By the time Holly reached the green, she was dripping with sweat that was only partially to do with her sprint down there.

Just as he’d said, Evan was standing opposite the shop, next to Hope, who was sitting in the pushchair, while an unusually stern-looking Kathy and the police officer Holly had seen on the phone stood by. But they were no longer the only people there. A small crowd had gathered on the pavement and the nearby bridge, peering over one another, trying to get a glimpse of the action.

‘Hey, babe, sorry about this,’ Evan said, but Holly didn’t have a chance to reply.

As soon as Hope saw Holly, she stretched out her arms and cried. Without even thinking about her arm, or the fact she wouldn’t be able to get her back into the pushchair, she reached down and unclipped her, fighting down the pain as she hoisted her onto her hip.

‘Hey, what’s all this fuss for, baby girl? Don’t be so silly.’

‘See, I told you. That’s the mother,’ Kathy said, bringing Holly back to the moment.

‘Yes, I’m her mother.’ Holly turned and looked at the old woman, only for Kathy’s eyes to widen in surprise. It was only then that Holly realised how much of a state she must look. It wasn’t just the cuts and bruises. She hadn’t even bothered to brush her hair when she left the house. Not to mention she was dressed in her comfy joggers, which, in winter especially, she used as full-on pyjamas. Then there was also the cast on her arm and the stitches in her forehead.

‘Good lord, woman, what happened to you?’

Holly shook her head, dismissing Kathy’s question. The last thing she wanted was the entire village knowing what she had done, though knowing Bourton, half of them already did. She turned to Evan.

‘What happened?’ she asked. ‘Was it Hope?’

‘Hope’s fine, babe. Don’t worry, everything’s fine. A misunderstanding, that’s all.’

Beside them, the police officer cleared his throat. Realising that if the police were at a situation, she probably should have spoken to them first, Holly turned around.

‘What happened, officer? Is everything alright?’

The policeman’s eyes lingered on the cut on Holly’s forehead before he cleared his throat for a second time. ‘Madam, is this your child?’

Hope was currently snuggled up on Holly’s shoulder, the brief crying spell from only moments ago abated by a hug from her mum.

‘Yes, she’s my daughter.’

‘And do you know this man she was with?’

Holly looked at Evan, whose eyebrows were raised, and she couldn’t decide if he was finding the situation amusing or something else altogether. She was about to say that yes, she knew him, he was her boyfriend, but before she could get a word in, Kathy was speaking again.

‘I’ve never seen him in my life, and I can tell you that much. I’ve lived in this village for over sixty years. And the baby. She didn’t want to be near him. Poor thing. She was trying to get out of her pushchair and would have made a run for it, if she could have walked, that is. Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.’

‘She was trying to get out of the pushchair to see the ducks,’ Evan said firmly. ‘Holly, will you tell this very helpful, and well-meaning lady, that you told me not to let her out of the chair?’

‘So you know this gentleman, ma’am,’ the police officer said.

‘I told you I’ve never seen him before in my life,’ Kathy replied.

The policeman inhaled slowly as he forced a smile. ‘Madam, I was talking to the mother.’ He looked at Holly. ‘You know this gentleman?’

Holly nodded rapidly. ‘Yes, yes, absolutely.’

‘And you were aware your child was with him?’

‘Yes, he took Hope out of the house so I could get a bit of rest. It’s been a stressful couple of days.’ She lifted her arm to reinforce the point.

‘Your house?’ Kathy said indignantly.

Ignoring the old woman and looking at the exhausted police officer, Holly smiled apologetically.

‘I’m really sorry. This is obviously just a big misunderstanding. Evan is my boyfriend.’

‘Boyfriend!’ This was more than Kathy could take. ‘She’s never said anything about having a boyfriend to me.’