‘I’m so sorry, but the lady you were eating with – Thea, I believe she’s called – asked me if you were okay, and I told her that we understood you’d had some very sad news. I didn’t say more than that. I assumed she was a friend and it would be easier if you didn’t have to tell her yourself.’

He looks mortified, and I realise he’s younger than me – probably in his late twenties – and has possibly never had to deal with anything like this before.

‘It’s okay,’ I say, pushing myself up and out of the chair. ‘I’ll just go back to my cabin now.’

‘Can I get you anything – a drink of some description? A brandy, a cup of tea? Let me know if there’s anything at all we can do for you, won’t you?’

I nod my thanks and he opens the door to let me through.

I slowly climb the stairs to the top deck, where my cabin is situated, thinking of what I can do to stop Ian – to get him out of my life – but my attention is diverted because as I make my way along the corridor, I can see that my cabin door is standing ajar. I know I closed it.

I walk quietly towards it, wondering who is inside. I don’t know why I feel scared – surely no one on this boat wants to hurt me? I reach the door and push it gently. It swings silently open. The room is empty. The bed has been turned down ready for the night and I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. The maid must have forgotten to close the door properly.

Ian is making me into a nervous wreck, and I lower myself onto the bed and drop my head, the sobs building again. I fall to the side and curl up, my arms tightly hugging my body.

The sound of a tentative knock silences my sobs and I open my puffy eyes to stare as the door opens. It’s Thea.

‘I don’t mean to intrude, dear, but Joel said you’d had some bad news. Would you like me to go, or can I help?’

I push myself upright, embarrassed that anyone should see me like this.

‘Thanks, but there’s nothing you can do. It was Ian – my boyfriend.’ I end the sentence on a weak laugh that holds not a trace of amusement. ‘He told Joel he was phoning to say my mother had died.’

‘Oh, I’m so sorry, my dear.’ She walks towards me and reaches out a hand, but I lean away. It isn’t her fault, but I’m not sure I can cope with kindness just now.