Put like that, it didn’t seem very dramatic, but at the time it had been awful. She’d been away at the wedding of her close friend Lizzie, and had come back with David, fifteen years older and her best friend, to see the house blazing with light. After she had stopped worrying that the house had been burgled, which took about two minutes, she realised her relatives from Switzerland had let themselves into the family property. Her and David’s easy life was over. David didn’t even go back into the house; he went to stay with a friend until the coast was clear. Fortunately the relatives hated London and didn’t stay long, but their orders to Alexandra were clear; she must go to Switzerland the following month.

‘That’s awful that you don’t have parents! But you do have relations? Why didn’t they take you in when your parents died?’ asked Donna.

‘I don’t know, but I’m really glad they didn’t. I had lots of nannies and people to look after me, and I didn’t mind. My relations want what’s best for me, absolutely, but I would never have been happy living with them.’ Alexandra had to have a sip of wine to help her recover from the thought. ‘They’re very straight-laced and buttoned-up. I’m a bit of a free spirit.’

‘Gee!’ said Donna. ‘That sounds so – dashing!’

Alexandra laughed. ‘It was fun, particularly when I met my special friends at cookery school.’

‘You’re a trained chef?’

‘No! Certainly not, but I can cook fairly well now. I did a few professional cooking jobs with my friend Meg, who’s a brilliant cook.’

‘If only she were here now!’ said Donna, obviously remembering the dinner party she’d been trying to forget.

‘Do you mind if I ask you something a bit personal?’

‘Go ahead,’ said Donna. ‘It’s so good to have someone to talk to; I don’t care about being discreet.’

‘I know the feeling. I had a lovely friend who was – is – a man, but girlfriends are a bit different, aren’t they?’

Donna nodded. ‘What did you want to ask me?’

‘Is Bob’s job well paid? I mean, if money is no object, you could find someone who’d cook for your dinner party and you wouldn’t have to worry. I’ve done jobs like that myself.’

‘I had someone! I had booked a chef and then they sent a message to say they couldn’t come. Bob said,“Oh, you can do it then, honey, it’ll be fine.” Then he closed up his newspaper and went to work. His mother always did the cooking when his father had business people over to dinner. He thinks women can do these things automatically, just because they’re women.’ Donna suddenly looked as if she might start to cry again.