his golden-haired daughter. ‘Alfie spends every available minute with Stella. He knows far more about her than I do.’
Daniel turned his attention back to his nephew. ‘You’ve been spending time with her?’
‘Why not? She’s got this brilliant laptop. It’s so cool. And she does this dating thing. You ought to do it, Dad.’ Alfie squirted ketchup onto his plate. ‘Stella had three hundred and fifty replies. If you had that many they could each come here and cook a meal and you wouldn’t have to cook again for a whole year.’
‘What’s wrong with my cooking? And I know you’ve brought that kitten to the table again, Alfie. I’m not blind or stupid. Put her on the floor. And don’t eat with your fingers, Posy.’ Clearly distracted, Patrick put the fork into his daughter’s hand. ‘Alfie, eat, please. I’ve got to go back to the hospital in a minute.’
‘Dating agency?’ Feeling as though he was five steps behind everyone else, Daniel stared at his nephew. ‘Stella is using a dating agency?’
‘Yup.’ Ignoring his father, Alfie kept the kitten on his lap. ‘On the internet. It’s the only way she’s going to meet a decent man. She’s been through three hundred and fifty people and she’s chosen someone who isn’t a bit like you.’
Patrick gave a choked laugh and Daniel glared at him and then pulled out a chair and sat down next to Alfie.
‘So she’s meeting a complete stranger?’
‘Not really. She knows loads about him. I think he sounds really boring, but I’m not a girl.’ Alfie stuffed a forkful of pasta into his mouth. ‘She’s really excited. Dad—how long does it take to make a baby?’
A baby?
Daniel had to physically stop himself from sprinting across the courtyard and bolting the stable door from the outside.
There was no way Stella would be intimate with a guy that quickly, he told himself. She wasn’t that type of girl, was she? It had been ages before she’d eventually slept with him.
‘Nine months,’ Patrick said absently. ‘Alfie, Mrs Thornton is going to sit with you tonight.’
Alfie groaned. ‘Not Mrs Thornton. She’s so old.’
‘She isn’t old.’
‘She smells funny and her mouth is really red. Can’t I stay on my own?’
‘You’re too young. I won’t be late.’
‘You always say that, but babies are never predictable,’ Alfie grumbled. ‘They just don’t do what you expect them to do. You’ll be at the hospital all night, like you always are. If Mrs Thornton is here, can I watch that DVD? She’s so shortsighted, she won’t know.’
‘Which DVD?’ Only half listening, Patrick fished his mobile out of his pocket and scrolled through his messages.
‘It’s a twelve rating.’
‘You’re ten, so the answer is no.’
‘My friends have all seen it.’ Alfie wrinkled his nose. ‘I don’t think it’s unsuitable.’
‘So why is it a twelve rating?’
‘Not sure. It will either be “scenes of a violent nature” or “moderate sex references”.’ Alfie spooned another pile of cheese over his pasta. ‘It doesn’t really matter. I fast forward those bits anyway. All that kissing is boring when you’re ten.’
Patrick’s phone rang and he answered it immediately. ‘Buchannan. Yes. How many centimetres dilated is she?’ Still listening, he tucked the phone between his cheek and his shoulder and wiped the tomato sauce from his daughter’s face. ‘No—no, not yet. All right.’
Alfie sighed. ‘Wait for it. He’s going to have to go to the hospital and sort it out.’
Daniel reached forward and stole a piece of pasta from Alfie’s bowl. ‘You know everything that’s going on around here, don’t you?’
‘I have eyes and ears. Never underestimate a kid,’ Alfie said solemnly, pulling his bowl out of Daniel’s reach and wrapping an arm around it protectively. ‘I have this whole house wired. I want to be a spy when I grow up. You could stay with me tonight, then Mrs Thornton wouldn’t have to drag her creaking joints over here.’
‘Creaking joints?’ Daniel looked at his brother with disapproval, wondering who he was entrusting with his children. ‘How old is this woman you’re leaving him with?’
‘At least forty-five,’ Patrick drawled, sliding his phone into his pocket and removing the cheese from Posy’s grasp. ‘To Alfie, that’s old.’
‘She is old and she smells strong. And she’s always asking about Daddy.’
‘She covers herself in perfume before she comes round?’ Daniel leaned back in his chair and grinned at his brother. ‘Sounds as though she’s interested in something other than the welfare of the children.’
‘Unluckily for me.’ Patrick scooped the kitten from Alfie’s lap. ‘Mary, go to the kitchen.’
‘That’s Joseph. I don’t know how you can do your job if you can’t tell the difference between a boy and a girl.’ Alfie pushed his bowl away and looked at Daniel. ‘Can’t you stay with me tonight?’
‘I have a hot date.’ Glancing at his brother, who was still on the phone, Daniel leaned forward and lowered his voice. ‘So, Agent Alfie, you wouldn’t happen to know where Stella is meeting this mystery man of hers, would you?’
‘Yes.’ Alfie picked up his drink. ‘I would.’
Daniel lifted an eyebrow. ‘And are you going to tell me?’
‘I might. But it’s going to cost you.’
Daniel gave a disbelieving laugh. ‘You think I’d pay you for information?’
‘I suppose it depends how important it is to you.’ Alfie slid off his chair and took his bowl to the kitchen.
Daniel followed. ‘You’re a tough negotiator.’
‘You don’t have to pay if you don’t want to know.’
Out of his depth, Daniel took a deep breath and glanced through the door towards his brother, who was now on the phone again, talking to the hospital. ‘How much is it going to cost me?’
Alfie set the dishwasher to rinse. ‘Two pounds fifty.’
‘That’s daylight robbery.’
‘Fine. Why do you want to know where she’s going, anyway?’ Alfie frowned. ‘You two don’t go out together any more. She thinks you’re too macho and you’re worried because she wants babies. I’m only ten but even I can see that that’s going to be a terrible relationship. Kids are a lot of work. I know, because I am one.’
‘She thinks I’m too
