By the canal, she watches the drake’s savage courtship of his chosen mate, beak gripping the struggling duck’s neck.

Incensed, the woman tries and fails to loosen the male’s stranglehold.

“Bully!” she says.

“You can’t change nature, darling. Coming?”

She feels his strong hand caress her nape, and pull gently.

Viv Burgess is a bit jaded post-Christmas. Too many mince pies and not enough writing.