‘Oh … Something I’d like to put behind me, and I don’t want to talk about him so don’t put him on the list. If he turned out to be The One, I think I might have to jump in a river.’

Marcia didn’t look convinced. ‘What happened with you and Jon? When?’

‘Why are we even talking about him? Jon’s not a contender,’ I said.

‘Methinks the lady doth protest too much,’ said Pete.

‘Ignoring that comment. Saranya Ji said I had a pattern in my relationships but I can’t see one.’

Marcia glanced over the list, ‘No, nor me, not really. Richard – father figure, Michael – a Peter Pan, Joe – Flash Harry, Graham – Steady Eddie.’

‘So,’ said Marcia, ‘to sum up, here’s the final list of contenders and our course of action. One: Kevin. Bea to meet on Saturday. Two: Bruno. Waiting to hear back. Three: Sam Gorman.’

‘Waiting to hear back from his sister.’

‘Four: Michael O’Connor. Bea to text him. Five: Jon. We know where he is.’

‘Stop it. Jon is not on the list. I mean it. And that’s it.’

‘Have you actually slept with him or just had a date?’ asked Marcia.

‘I told you, not talking about it.’

‘That means yes.’

‘Once, OK? Happy? Ages ago, and not something ever to be repeated. A big giant mistake which is why I have never mentioned it. OK, so moving on.’

Marcia laughed. ‘OK. Moving on.’

‘Five,’ I said. ‘No Jon.’

Marcia just smiled. ‘We’ll see.’

*

When I got home, the postman was standing there with a parcel for me.

I took the package inside and unwrapped it to find a beautiful red lacquered Chinese box with a dragon and snakes painted in gold and silver on top. I opened it to find it was lined with silk and stuffed with Liquorice Allsorts. Marcia. Had to be. I picked up my mobile to thank her.

‘Not me,’ she said. ‘Heather? She knows you like liquorice. In fact, everyone knows you love those sweets; always have, ever since you were small.’

‘Always will,’ I said.

‘Or maybe it’s a mystery admirer. Maybe you won’t have to go looking for Billy, it sounds as if someone is coming after you. First the flowers, now this. Could it be Richard? He was always very generous, and the Chinese box sounds like the sort of thing he would get you.’

‘Doubt it. Maybe the box but not the Liquorice Allsorts. He was a control freak when it came to sugar. It was banned from the house, and if he ever bought sweet treats, they would be the type sold for diabetics.’

‘Bleurgh, but maybe it’s his way of saying that he’s changed and wouldn’t tell you what to eat or wear or think any more.’

‘Or maybe it was one of my brothers and the card has gone missing.’