‘It has been pretty wonderful,’ Maddy agreed, looking at the piles of dirty crockery. To hell with it. She’d do them in the morning. ‘Is that a love bite on your thigh?’

‘Probably.’ Suzy stroked it lovingly. ‘He’s amazing. I’m in love, Mad.’

‘How can you be in love? You haven’t known him five minutes.’

‘I’ve known him for ever. We were born for each other. Luke Delaney is my destiny.’

‘Good God. You didn’t eat anything at the pub, did you?’ Maddy looked at Suzy’s suspiciously dilated pupils. The chef at the Cat and Fiddle reputedly garnished selected dishes with his finest cannabis plants.

‘I don’t need dope. I’m high on love. You wait, Mad, one day you’ll meet someone and – wham! That’ll be it.’

‘Really? Do you believe that love can happen like that? I mean, that quickly?’

‘Isn’t that how it happened with you and Pete the Perv, then? Or can’t you remember that far back?’

Maddy shook her head. It hadn’t felt like this with Peter.

Not at the beginning, or in the middle, and certainly not at the end.

‘Well, that’s how it happened to me.’ Suzy hugged her sister. ‘Cheer up, Mad. One day it’ll happen to you. There’s someone out there, just waiting …’

Mr Beckett had dug out Harry Connick when they got back to the sitting room and the atmosphere was soft and schmaltzy. The sofa and chairs had been pushed back against the walls and Bernie Pugh was on yet another drinks circuit.

Caroline was sitting alone on the arm of the sofa watching Fran and Richard stumbling round in a circle. Maddy sat beside her. ‘Are they dancing? Or has Richard fallen over?’

‘They’re dancing.’ Caroline turned her exquisite face to Maddy in the candlelight. ‘This has been lovely, Maddy. We so rarely do anything like this. You were very kind to invite us. It’s reassured me that Drew will be happy in Milton St John. I’d hate to think he was lonely while I’m in Jersey.’

‘We’ll do our best to make him feel at home. Caroline …’ She had to say something. She had to. ‘This afternoon, at the racecourse, when I kissed Drew … I just wanted to say sorry.’

‘Drew probably enjoyed it.’ Caroline’s eyes were gentle. ‘He likes kissing. I don’t.’

Maddy shut her mouth with a snap. Caroline studied her fingers. Her hands were slender, her nails perfect. ‘I’m not very keen on kissing or touching. It seems so pointless. Drew is …’ she shrugged ‘… a very tactile person. I’m sure he was dying to kiss you. He likes cuddles and hugs and talking about how he feels. I don’t, as I said. We understand each other.’

She was being warned off. In a very friendly and adult way, but warned off nevertheless. She watched Drew laughing across the room with her mother. He was so gloriously sexy. It seemed such a waste that he should have chosen to spend his life with the ice-cold Caroline.