She switched on the lights, stepped back and tilted her head, evaluating the result. She hoped her husband would see that she’d gone out of her way, that she always went out of her way. She smoothed her skirt and ran her hands through her hair. Other couples fight, she thought, other couples divorce. But that won’t happen to us; we know better. We understand that love is a plant that requires tender care. Some people spread all this rubbish about being blinded by love. But she’d never understood as much as she did now, had never had this insight. Had never had such clarity of vision, or such uncompromising values. She went into the bathroom and brushed her hair. The excitement of her husband’s return, the oven’s heat and the low July sunlight spilling into the room made her cheeks flush and her eyes sparkle. When he stepped into the kitchen, she was ready with a bottle of Farris mineral water and a slight, elegant tilt to her hips. He carried a stack of post, she noticed, newspapers and a few window envelopes. He set them on the worktop, then went to the oven and squatted down, peering through the glass.

‘It looks delicious,’ he said. ‘Is it ready?’

‘Probably,’ she replied. ‘Margrete is sleeping in the pram. She’s slept quite a while. Maybe we should wake her — otherwise it’ll be hard getting her to sleep tonight.’ She reconsidered. Cocked her head and looked at her husband through full black eyelashes. ‘Or maybe we can wait until after dinner, so we can have a little peace while we eat. Chicken and chanterelle,’ she said, nodding at the oven. She slipped on a pair of oven gloves, removed the quiche and set it down on a cooling rack.

It was burning hot.

‘She’ll certainly forgive us,’ her husband said.

His voice was deep and gravelly. He stood at his full height, put his arms around her waist and escorted her across the room. They both laughed because she was wearing the oven gloves; he had that look she loved so much, that teasing look she could never resist. Now he led her into the lounge, past the dining table to the sofa.