‘Sounds good to me. If you’re taking some time off, maybe we could do that together. Maybe even go away together, a holiday, watch a few sunsets in romantic locations.’

‘Sounds lovely.’

Jon smiled. ‘Where do you fancy? Caribbean? Spain? Bali?’

‘Italy,’ I said. ‘I’m not saying I’ll go with you, but I do love Italy.’

‘Me too. Let’s go, see all of it – the lakes, the Amalfi coast, Ravello, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia, Umbria, Tuscany. We’ll be old buggers with Zimmer frames by the time we’ve done it all. Italy has a smell I love – not just the food, the coffee, no; it’s the air there, it smells different.’

‘Talking about smells. Jon, did you send me a Jo Malone diffuser?’

He raised an eyebrow as if in surprise. ‘Send? A present in the post?’

If he was my mysterious admirer, he was playing it very cool. ‘Yes. Gorgeous-smelling stuff.’

‘And you don’t know who it was from?’ His eyes were twinkling. Was it from him and he was teasing me? Or letting me think it was him?

‘I don’t. Whoever it was, also sent a box filled with Liquorice Allsorts.’

‘My favourites, and I seem to remember yours too. You had a bowl of them in your kitchen when I first came over.’

‘I was also sent a bunch of gardenias.’

‘A man of taste.’

‘Jon, was it you?’

‘What do you think?’

‘I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking.’

‘Who else would they be from?’

‘No idea, but if you tell me it was or wasn’t you, it gives me a better idea.’

‘Of course they were from me. Who else?’

‘I … So why didn’t you send a card?’

‘And ruin the mystery? Where would be the fun in that? So you liked what I sent?’

‘I did, more than generous, thank you. I … I don’t know what to say.’ I didn’t know what to say because, as well as being surprised, some part of me doubted if he was telling the truth.

‘You’re very welcome,’ he said.

‘OK, then tell me about you? Where have you been the past weeks? I haven’t seen you about in the mornings that much.’

His face clouded. ‘A few personal issues to sort out.’

‘You’re not giving away much. You asked a moment ago what I wanted in a relationship. No secrets, that would be something pretty high up the list.’

‘OK. I was clearing out my old home now the divorce is final. Hard letting go of some aspects of the past sometimes, but you have to move on, so let’s drink to that, no secrets, and let’s set a date. Lunch or dinner somewhere lovely. We’ll make some plans. You tell me what you like to do. You tell me everything about yourself, I’ll tell you everything. Deal?’