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freckled beneath a thatch of fiercely red hair. ‘Mum drove me and the boys down. It’s half-term, in case you didn’t know.’
    ‘I didn’t.’ It meant the Watts family, occupants of The Summer Barn, would put an end to the reasonably civilised peace of the area for at least a week. He sighed.
    ‘What are you doing?’
    ‘Working.’
    ‘Boring.’
    ‘No. Exciting. As you would know if your father had anything like a decent work ethic.’ He often wondered where the family got their not inconsiderable pots of money from. Better not to know, maybe.
    ‘What’s an ethic?’
    The child moved into the room and stood staring down at Leo’s work. She had a can of Coke in one hand and a wire led from some hidden pocket to the small earphones which dangled round her neck. Otherwise her wardrobe consisted of shabby jeans and a Simpsons T-shirt, probably a castoff from one of her brothers. It seemed inadequate for the chill of the morning but she didn’t seem to notice.
    ‘Drop a millilitre of that stuff anywhere in this house and you are toast,’ he said equably.
    ‘You’re more likely to spill that stuff you’re eating. What is it? It looks gross.’
    ‘Muesli.’
    ‘What’s that?’
    ‘Bit like an ethic.’ He turned to face her. ‘Have you come for a reason or are you just here to annoy me?’
    She shrugged. ‘Bored.’
    ‘Is your mother not taking you shopping?’
    ‘There’s no decent shops.’
    ‘Ah. I see the problem.’ He didn’t bother to ask what decent shops consisted of in her opinion.
    ‘And your brothers won’t play with you?’
    She stared at him. ‘Play?’ She seemed shocked at the word.
    ‘I know. I am sorry. It’s not a concept you are acquainted with. What are they doing? Should I be barring the windows and calling the police?’
    She giggled. ‘Probly.’
    He frowned. ‘Jade, do me a favour, love. Tell those vile pigs who are your siblings to keep away from the new people in The Old Barn. OK? They are nice people and we don’t want them being chased away like the last lot.’
    She grinned. ‘That was good. They was real scared!’
    ‘Jade!’
    ‘I know.’ She sat down on the couch and took a swig from her can. ‘This is shabby. My mum thinks you must be very poor.’ She was fingering the torn throw which covered the worst holes and frayed edges in the upholstery.
    It was his turn to laugh. ‘Your mum is a wise woman. But fortunately I don’t mind being either poor or shabby.’
    She looked at him thoughtfully. ‘You’ve got a boat, though. Can I come out on her?’
    ‘Have you learned to swim?’
    She shook her head.
    ‘Then you know what the answer is.’
    ‘My dad says sailors never learned to swim ’cos if the boat sank, then they drowned quickly and there wasn’t time to get eaten by sharks.’
    Leo nodded, trying to hide a smile. ‘Sounds good logic to me. OK, if I go out I will take you, but only if one of your parents signs something to say I have their permission to drown their child. And I want no brothers.’
    ‘Nor do I.’ She beamed at him. ‘Can we go today?’
    ‘No. The wind is going to get too strong.’
    ‘They’ve gone.’ She nodded vaguely behind her. Leo took her to mean Zoë and Ken.
    ‘I know. But I think they are experienced sailors. You are not.’ He folded his arms. ‘Right; this visit is concluded. Can you go home, please, Jade. I am busy.’
    ‘OK.’ She stood up, seemingly happy with the cursory dismissal. ‘Can we go tomorrow then?’
    ‘We’ll see! Out!’ He jerked his thumb towards the door.
    He watched her as she wandered back through his garden, through the gate, leaving it wide open, and up the grass towards The Summer Barn. He couldn’t see it from here, but he could imagine the scene. From peaceful emptiness it would have changed to noisy chaos. The huge people carrier would be parked as closely as possible to the front door, which would be open. Noise, lurchers and general mess would have spread exponentially