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He turned back to Rainne

“Don’t be bullied,” he said in a gentle voice He could have been talking about the weather

“I resent that,” Joyce said “We don’t bully our children We brought them up to think for themselves and not to be brainwashed by society”

“See influenced by society, but you haven’t stopped trying to influence them yourselves,” Alastair said with a smile

He pushed his plate away

“Thanks for dinner It was lovely,” he said “I’, Rainne?”

Rainne looked at her gorgeous boy, then looked at her parents

“I said I’d help Joyce with sos,” she said at last

Alastair pulled on his coat

“You knohere to find me,” he told her

The door shut quietly behind him There was silence for a minute as Rainne watched hi towards home

“He’s very young,” said her mother

And Rainne felt her shoulders slump

The walk to Kirsty’s flat was torturous Lake spent his ar for twenty-mile hikes at the drop of a hat, and the ten er than any hike he’d ever been on Kirsty didn’t talk at all on the way back But then, as there to say? She fumbled with the key to her front door

“Cold fingers,” she said