‘Thanks, I appreciate the advice,’ Claudia said, draining her glass. Before she could look to Robert for a top-up, Justin reached for a carafe of water and filled a tall glass. A not-so-subtle hint that she was drinking too fast.

‘And if you can bear some more,’ Phillipa said, eager to dispense the next nugget of wisdom. ‘You might want to deny that torch you used during your rescue mission had anything to do with Ronson Construction.’

‘Sorry, I don’t understand,’ said Justin.

He was looking at his wife, but Phillipa was quicker with a response. ‘Ah, you weren’t at the open day, were you, Justin? Ronsons had lots of merchandise on offer, including these funny little torches on key rings. It was a great way to sneak their name into the public consciousness, but they were very cheaply made. I’m surprised Claudia’s was still working, what, two years later? Or did you go back for more?’ She could answer this question too. ‘I know our contractors liked to look after our visitors.’

The salmon terrine churning in Claudia’s stomach threatened to reappear. ‘I didn’t get the torch from Ronsons.’

‘That’s the ticket!’ Phillipa said, laughing. ‘You keep to that story.’

Except it wasn’t a story. Phillipa was fishing in the right place, but she had chosen the wrong bait. Claudia had never owned a single one of those ugly key rings, but she could remember the day they were being handed out. It was the first time she had met Declan Gallagher, and Phillipa was right in one regard. The contractors did like to look after their visitors.

‘Can I tempt you with a freebie?’ Declan had asked, twirling a pen in his hand.

They were in the town hall, and Claudia had been admiring the architect’s model of the revamped theatre when Declan Gallagher had interrupted her thoughts. He was dressed in hi-vis and a hard hat, somewhat unnecessary, but as she would soon discover, Declan liked to draw attention.

Claudia moved away with a polite refusal.

‘How about a torch? Look, this one actually works,’ he persisted.

Claudia caught the flash of a light being aimed at her, but didn’t raise her gaze. ‘No, thank you.’

‘Come on, there must be something I can give you to raise a smile?’

Claudia wasn’t sure if it was his Northern Irish accent or his cheesy banter, but she looked up and made the mistake that would become her downfall. She smiled at him.

‘Now doesn’t that feel better?’ he said, smiling too.

Declan was a little younger than Justin, his dark hair curlier, and his hazel eyes were brighter and kinder too. Not that Justin wasn’t kind. They had been married for just over a year at that point, and she didn’t doubt that he loved her. It was just that there had been a noticeable change of late.