‘No,’ said Dermot, with a touch of embarrassment. ‘I bought this one after you said you only liked really good red wines, with the vague hope that you’d share it with me one day.’

Sitting up, pulling the covers up over her breasts, Shona put down her glass and said reproachfully, ‘You never told me. All this time, this last term. You never told me, you never even gave me a hint.’

‘You never gave me the slightest impression that you’d be interested if I did tell you,’ Dermot replied frankly. ‘I asked you for a drink once, and you said no, you had to go back to your husband. I went out of my way to find time with you. I waited for you so I could offer you rides home, but you never waited for me, you never asked me to give you a lift.’

‘When?’ asked Shona. ‘When did you start to …’ She didn’t know how to finish the sentence, it felt juvenile to say ‘like me’, as though they were in the school yard themselves, but nothing else seemed appropriate. ‘ … like me?’ she finished feebly.

Dermot sighed. ‘I liked you almost from the moment we met - not the day we met, when you were a frosty witch, but almost straight away afterwards. You’re funny, and you’re so kind to everyone, and I think … you might be the most intelligent woman I know.’ He kissed her on the forehead again, holding her temples gently on either side. This is what I like about you, right here, in your head. You have a wonderful mind, Shona. It’s like the British Museum, with hidden gifts in hidden rooms. I want to wander in it with you and roam around.’

Shona was speechless. He thought she was funny; everyone knew that Parvez was the funny one, not her. He saw her well-meaning dissembling for kindness. And unlike Parvez, he liked her for her intelligence, not despite it. It all brought her back to the chivalrous ghost in the room, the unseen husband of the happy, dead memories. ‘Don’t you want to ask me about Parvez?’ she asked.

Dermot exhaled deeply. ‘To be honest, Shona, I don’t. I know that he’s a nice guy, Pam’s told me all about him. I know he’s good-looking and successful, and that you’ve been with him for twenty years and raised a family with him. I also know there’s something wrong with you and him, or you wouldn’t be here with me. I don’t want to know any more.’

’You don’t think it’s your concern?’ asked Shona.