Steph finished changing to go out to dinner with David and surveyed herself in the long mirror. She’d made more effort than she had in months, getting out a sheath dress that showed up curves she’d forgotten she possessed, and washing and blow-drying her hair. She sprayed her wrist with perfume, sniffing it tentatively in case it had gone off because she wore it so rarely. Behind her wrists, on her neck, down her cleavage. Even a bit on the bed to make it smell sexy. She had already turned it down and put on the bedside lights. With Jean-Christophe taking on tonight’s dinner, she felt free for the first time in months.

She remembered something she’d bought on the spur of the moment in the pharmacie, away from the inquisitive gaze of the woman who ran it. It was called Sexy Lube. It had remained unopened in the back of the cupboard till now. Smiling to herself, she tore off the packaging and put it in the drawer of her bedside table. She was feeling naughty and adventurous tonight. Maybe it was time to finally use the stuff. Even though she wasn’t quite sure what you did with it.

But before that, she needed to answer Ronnie’s email. Yes, she did know of the perfect château, as it happened. It was a romantic dream and not far away from Fleur-de-Lis, right on the banks of the river. It had just been taken over by some friends of hers and they were very enthusiastic. How big a wedding was Nicky planning?

Her usual friendly instinct was to invite them both over, but she needed to sort things out with David before unleashing her terrier sister into their lives, so she left it there for now. She’d wait and see what their plans were.

She’d just switched off her laptop when David appeared, bearing a glass of champagne. ‘Why don’t you have it in the bath?’ he asked, just like old times.

‘Thanks, love. What a nice idea.’ She didn’t admit that she’d already had a bath, as well as shaving her legs and eliminating any straggly pubes.

After he’d gone she took off her dress and made sure she was wearing her sexiest underwear, sipping the champagne and smiling to herself. It was going to be all right between them, she knew.

In the bedroom of her small house in the oldest part of Bratenac, Suzi was also making a thorough inspection of herself in her mirror. Looking like this took a lot of hard work, and sometimes she longed to let go a bit – but you simply couldn’t afford to at her age, not if you were alone. Although Suzi wasn’t planning to be alone for much longer.