‘Not all the time.’ Chloe smiled, but it was gallows humour. ‘Sometimes he brought her round the house while I was away at events. Saved him money and he didn’t have to worry about the bills appearing on the bank statements.’

Drew swore softly. ‘What a louse. Didn’t the neighbours notice?’

‘Maybe, but they weren’t the kind of neighbours to tell me. We lived in a nice road in the semi countryside with big trees around the houses. One side never actually got round to moving in at all. The other side was a reclusive literary author who didn’t like speaking to people. I did try to get her to join a book club when she first moved in but when she found out we’d chosen Fifty Shades of Grey as book of the month for a laugh, she made it quite clear she wanted to be left alone. So, you could have had Bacchanalian orgies every night and opened a crystal meth factory and one neighbour would never have known – and the other side wouldn’t have cared.’

Drew laughed. ‘Sorry for laughing. It’s not funny.’

‘Oh but it is, in a way. Now I have the benefit of some distance.’ Chloe sipped her whisky. ‘It’s not Fraser that I miss now, though I did move partly to get away from the bad memories in the house. Also, of course, because I couldn’t afford to stay there, but I don’t care. I have far less money now, but I’m happier in other ways. I’m genuinely better off without him. I’m not always wondering if he’s having an affair. I like my own company and I love Porthmellow. I like being able to chat to the neighbours every time I buy a book of stamps.’

‘But?’ Drew said over the top of his glass.

‘I’m very very lucky.’

‘I didn’t ask if you feel lucky, punk.’ He said it in a Clint Eastwood way that made Chloe giggle. He really was a lovely guy. And his choice of malts was top notch if this warm and peaty Laphroaig was anything to judge by. This stuff was as relaxing as a massage in a top health spa.

‘I don’t miss Fraser at all, but I do miss Hannah.’ She tapped her chest. ‘Right in here. It’s a physical ache sometimes. So what you said earlier, about wanting to do what was best for Connor. I know how that feels, I wanted what was best for Hannah …’ she began, clutching her glass tighter. ‘And I’m afraid it split us apart.’

Drew let her breathe before he responded. Fraser had never let her breathe.

‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ he said softly. ‘Do you mean that a problem with Hannah split up you and your husband?’