By now, Abbott was feeling the booze coming on so that he found himself starting to relax, glugging his beer greedily.

‘Now there’s a man who needs a top-up,’ said Phil, music to his ears, and sure enough, another one came out. They trooped through to a dining room where sat a huge table, the kind of thing you’d expect to see in Bruce Wayne’s house. The kids joined them and there was chatter. Abbott began to enjoy himself, asking the kids about school, about their hobbies and which football team they supported.

‘Chelsea?’ he snorted at one point. ‘Fucking Chelsea.’ And the kids roared with laughter as Abbott clamped his hand over his mouth, looking theatrically at Tess and Phil. ‘Oh, I’m in trouble now,’ he said.

When the kids had finished arguing over the last slice of pizza and dashed off back to the PlayStation, Phil offered Abbott another beer.

‘Be rude not to,’ said Abbott.

With Phil out of the room, Tess’s eyes went to Abbott. ‘Alex, are you nervous or something? You’re drinking an awful lot.’

‘Come on now,’ said Abbott. ‘You only get to talk like that if you’re my missus, and as far as I know, I mean, I don’t think you’re my missus, are you?’

Her eyes hardened. ‘No, I’m not your missus, Alex.’

‘No, you’re just someone who cares about me,’ he said with a sneer in his voice.

She leaned back, crossed arms, pulled a face. ‘Well, you know, that can easily change. I mean, easily.’

‘Oh well, yes, it would be awful if we fell out, wouldn’t it? Or maybe it would be better for you? Then you wouldn’t have to go to all the effort of ordering pizza.’

She leaned forward. ‘I was trying to keep it informal, Alex. I thought you’d prefer it that way. I didn’t think you’d want me off in the kitchen, with you having to make small talk with Phil, and anyway . . .’ She threw up a hand, as if trying and failing to find the right words to say, ‘I really am worried about you.’

‘Is that why you lied to me?’ he said, louder and more sharply than he intended.

Phil had walked back into the room. His expression as he handed over a drink that Abbott too greedily snatched, putting it immediately to his lips, was quizzical. ‘Lied to you,’ said Phil. ‘Lied about what?’ His eyes going from one to the other. ‘Is everything all right in here?’