We landed on a sunny afternoon. The journey had been long and exhausting. But Ria and Piers had been raring to see their father and had been as good as gold throughout the flight. They had not ganged up to mimic Claude's wails, unlike during the trip to Japan when they had been insufferable, whining and generally behaving like brats.

My littlest son was another matter altogether. Baby Claude had been cranky and irritable for most of the journey. But Claude tended to be that way as I had discovered. He was the one who would not sit still unless he was in my arms; would fret and throw things...