The room was filled with familiar faces. In a village so small, it was impossible not to recognise someone, whether it be someone from the gym, or the supermarket, or the local pub. He spotted a man sitting with a young woman, and remembered him. James had considered pursuing him, before he realised the man wasn’t as rich as he made out to be. Thankfully, Richard had fallen into his lap a week later. The man smiled at him. James looked away.

‘I didn’t have a chance to eat this morning.’ I was too busy having sex with your husband. ‘I was on the phone to my contractor at seven a.m.’

‘You earn every penny,’ she replied curtly.

‘I’ll earn even more when my latest deal goes through.’ He thought of the tape and salivated. Fifty. Thousand. Pounds. And then some. ‘So, how’re things?’

‘Richard is having an affair.’

For a brief second, his heart stopped. Sweat broke out on his back as he looked into her eyes for any sign that she knew. Amber appeared calm and collected. Too calm.

‘Are you sure?’ he whispered.

‘Positive.’

‘Who is she?’

She took a sip of the latte. ‘I have an idea.’

Calm down, he told himself. You’re being paranoid. You’re just tired, that’s all. But his heart continued to race.

‘How long?’

‘Long enough.’

‘You seem awfully calm.’

‘We’re in public. What do you expect me to do, break down and cry?’

James was used to being in control, but it seemed Amber was too. Her thoughts never translated on her face or in her eyes. Every movement seemed planned, from stirring her coffee to raising the latte glass to her lips. For him to know what she was thinking, he would need to crack her head on the corner of the table and pick around inside her skull. He tried to compose himself and clenched his fists in his lap to bring the feeling back into them. His palms were sweating.

‘You know what I mean. How did you find out?’

‘I’ve been with the man long enough to know when I’m being lied to.’

Throw her off the scent. You can’t lose grip of this now, when the end is so close.

‘I can’t believe it. I’d never thought of Richard as the adulterous type. Are you sure?’

‘Deadly.’

Maybe she looked through his phone, or found the bill for the hotel room. He couldn’t allow himself to consider that she had a good an eye as he, and could catch out the best of liars.

‘What are you going to do?’

‘I’m not leaving him, if that’s what you’re thinking.’

‘I wasn’t thinking that.’

‘Then what are you thinking?’

Stay calm. She doesn’t know that you’re involved. She’s confiding in you because she believes you’re her friend, nothing more.