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‘They do, as a matter of fact. Why?’

He smiles. ‘Well, you’ve got a problem then, haven’t you? Either you drive yourself, in which case, you’re not really going to be able to do much in the way of tasting, or you find someone who’s prepared to drive you so you can sample the wares freely.’

‘I wasn’t planning some kind of vineyard crawl. I thought I might taste a couple and then buy a bottle or two to bring back to the flat. Why, are you angling for an invitation?’

‘Who, me? Absolutely not, no.’

I laugh. ‘Don’t ever apply to the secret services, will you? You may be a communications expert, but you’re rubbish at subterfuge. Fine. Nathan, would you like to come with me to visit some vineyards tomorrow?’

‘I wouldn’t want to impose myself on you.’

‘Oh, for goodness’ sake! Do you want to come or not?’

His smile widens to a grin. ‘I’d love to. These things are always more fun if you have someone to do them with, don’t you think? What’s the plan?’

‘Jeremiah recommended I start with breakfast at some completely unpronounceable place that I had to get him to write down. Apparently, they roast their own coffee beans on site, the food is seriously good and the view from the café is spectacular.’

‘Buitenverwachting?’

‘Bless you.’

‘Ha ha. Is that the name of the place?’

‘I don’t know. It sounds vaguely right. Why, have you heard of it?’

‘I think it was mentioned in the airline magazine as a place to visit round here.’

‘Hm. I hope that doesn’t mean it’ll be horribly crowded and overrated. From the way Jeremiah was talking, it’s a bit of a hidden gem that only the locals know about.’

‘I wouldn’t worry too much. It’s a well-known fact that nobody reads airline magazines in detail, and it was buried in the text of the article. It only stood out to me because, like you, I wondered how to pronounce it. In the end, I asked one of the cabin crew and they taught me. So, breakfast at Buitenverwachting⁠—’

‘You’re showing off now.’

‘It seems a shame to learn the word and not use it. And after that?’

‘He suggested Groot Constantia. It’s fairly close by and is apparently the oldest wine farm in South Africa.’

Nathan makes another strange noise, like there’s something stuck in his throat.

‘Are you OK?’ I ask him.

‘I’m fine. That’s how you pronounce the word “groot”.’

‘It sounded like you’d swallowed a fly or something. Say it again.’

‘Hroo-et,’ he says, making the H sound like he’s coughing up phlegm.

‘Lovely. Let’s hope the wine is nicer than the name suggests.’

‘Oh, it is,’ he assures me. ‘Groot Constantia wines have graced the tables of some very famous people over the years, including Napoleon Bonaparte and Frederick the Great of Prussia. It’s also mentioned in Jane Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility as a cure for a broken heart.’

‘You’re a veritable mine of information, aren’t you?’

‘It was a long flight, and the article was surprisingly interesting. There are a couple of restaurants there, which are also supposed to be good. Shall I see if I can get us a table for lunch?’

‘Will we want lunch if we’ve had a big breakfast at the watering place?’

‘Buitenverwachting.’