Thea was about to say that of course she would and why on earth did he think she wouldn’t, when she realised he might well have heard them quarrelling. ‘Relationships get very complicated when you’re grown up, Toby. But whatever happens, we can still be friends.’

Toby shook his head. ‘That might be quite difficult, actually.’

Thea nodded in agreement. ‘We could try, though. Molly would help us.’

Toby suddenly smiled. ‘Yes, she would, wouldn’t she?’

Thea had to bite her lip very hard not to cry as she gave Toby a last hug. They both knew they probably wouldn’t see much of each other in future and Thea felt she’d lost someone she loved very much.

Magenta gave Thea a large vodka and orange juice. Thea sank back into her soft, cream-coloured sofa in relief. ‘It’s been such a long day. I’m completely shattered.’

‘But you found Rory, which was the object of the exercise.’

‘And lost him again, though I do know where to start looking, which is something. But Mags, that gallery! It’s to die for and at a really swish address. How am I going to get him out of there and into the sticks?’

Magenta raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow. ‘You mean, “How you gonna keep ’em down on the farm, now that they’ve seen Parree"?’

Thea had to laugh and nodded.

Magenta’s answer was food: ‘What do you fancy to eat?’

Pleased to be let off the hook, Thea considered. ‘Toast and Marmite or pasta. I want comfort.’

‘You shall have it. And I’ve got a box of truffles in the freezer, kept for emergencies.’

Thea had no energy left for talking. After they’d eaten pasta with a cream and smoked salmon sauce, and half a box of truffles, all she felt fit for was the futon in Magenta’s spare room. She brushed her teeth, smeared herself with Magenta’s expensive night cream and fell into bed, praying that sleep would prevent her thinking too hard about her shattered dreams.

In the morning, well rested and lured out of her pit by the smell of fresh coffee and the sound of Magenta’s electric juicer, she felt different. Yes, she was still heartbroken about Ben’s defection, for however much she wanted to believe his story, logically she just couldn’t. After all, she thought, who would you support? Your ex-wife and mother of your adored son, or some zany friend of your second cousin once removed?

But now, she told Magenta brightly, she was going to fight for Rory tooth and nail. ‘And as I don’t care about my nails one-tenth as much as Veronica cares about hers, I’m bound to win.’

‘Well, I’m glad you’re feeling so upbeat about things this morning,’ said Magenta. ‘Have a multi-vitamin.’