‘Out. Properly. For a meal, or to the theatre or the cinema.’

‘A date?’ She giggled through the whisky. ‘You’re asking me for a date?’

‘Yes, I suppose I am. Don’t laugh.’

‘I’m not. Not at you. Just at the idea. I haven’t been asked out on a date for, oh, years. Not since university.’

‘But surely, Peter Knightley …’

‘He never actually asked me out. We were sort of together. We went out together. He didn’t ask me.’

‘And since then?’

‘No one.’ Maddy shook her head. ‘Honestly. In the last year I’ve thrown myself into Shadows and no one has asked me out – and if they had I wouldn’t have gone.’

‘Why?’ Drew had emptied his glass.

‘Because I had to prove to myself that I could be a person on my own. It was important. I’d gone from being looked after at home, to being chivvied around at college, and then straight into the relationship with Peter. I’d never been allowed to be me.’

‘And now you are. And making a bloody good job of it. So, will you come out with me?’

‘No.’

Drew stood up, picking up the glasses. ‘I’m going to get refills. I want your answer by the time I come back.’

‘I’ve just given you my answer –’ She stopped as he leaned over the table towards her. ‘Drew, don’t – not in here …’

He kissed her. As his hands were occupied with the glasses, the whole weight of his body seemed to be balanced on his lips. Neither of them closed their eyes.

‘When I come back.’ He straightened up and edged his way to the bar. Maddy gulped. He was absolutely lethal. She cast furtive glances round the pub, but in the shoving, pushing, smoky haze, no one seemed to have noticed that Maddy Beckett had just been wildly turned on by a married man.

‘You’re smirking,’ she accused him as he sat down again. ‘And is that another double?’

‘I’m not and it is. So, what’s your answer?’

‘Still no.’

‘Why? Because I’m married?’

‘Exactly. For God’s sake, Drew. You know what you do to me. If we went out together –’

‘I cross my heart that the evening wouldn’t end up in bed.’

She sat and stared at him. To spend an evening with him would be bliss. To leave him alone at the end of that evening would be impossible …

‘Maddy! Drew! Just the people!’ Kimberley towered over the table. Maddy heard Drew’s groan and wondered if Kimberley had. ‘Splendid meeting, wasn’t it?’ Obviously Kimberley hadn’t. ‘Let’s hope we can stymie the blighters. If Bronwyn can do her stuff with the Maynards and you can use your influence with Diana and Gareth, I reckon we’ll have Peter Knightley and his confounded golf course on the run.’