‘This is the scariest part. He burst into tears and collapsed into his chair, clutching his chest. Mummy and I were terrified that he might be having another heart attack. He said that if I loved him, I would just trust him and promise not to see you any more.’

‘Great - he can’t give you a reason, so he resorts to emotional blackmail by asking you to make a ridiculous promise,’ Sharif said unsympathetically. ‘What did he say when you said you weren’t falling for it?’ He waited for her response, but Candida didn’t say a word. ‘Candida, you did tell him that you weren’t falling for it, didn’t you?’ He was aware of his voice rising with slight panic. ‘You didn’t actually promise, did you? You couldn’t have done.’

Candida paused for far too long, and said, ‘Sharif, I’m so sorry. I felt I had to. You know how ill Daddy’s been; I couldn’t be responsible for his heart giving out again. He needs to stay unstressed, and I know it was totally unreasonable of him, but maybe he’s not quite himself at the moment.’

Sharif felt his whole body go cold. ‘I see,’ he said curtly. It had finally happened; he had fallen for someone, only to find that he felt more for her than she did for him. Perhaps she had only wanted him for arm candy, for street cred, for the sex they hadn’t quite had. The irony was awful; he could imagine his cohorts of ex-conquests and his faggy twin cheering Candida in the wings.

‘No, you don’t see,’ Candida said, ‘so don’t go all cold and distant on me. It’s only for a little while, and I’ve made a decision. I’ve never lied to my parents before, but when my daddy’s health is at stake it seems as good a time as any to start.’

‘So you didn’t mean it,’ said Sharif, feeling waves of relief wash over him. ‘You’ll find a way to come this weekend?’

‘No, not this weekend, and not to London. I don’t think that would be very wise,’ said Candida. ‘But you know, next weekend I might visit a friend who lives down on the Kent coast, in a little seaside town called Broad-stairs.’

’I don’t think I know it,’ said Sharif.

‘You’d like it, I think. It’s between Margate and Rams-gate, and prettier than both, with lovely beaches perfect for painting. Wouldn’t it be a funny coincidence if I bumped into you down there next Saturday, say at the station at midday?’

That would be a funny coincidence,’ agreed Sharif.