‘Party,’ Greg said, as he clipped on his reel and carefully threaded his line through the rings along the length of the rod. He was fishing a four-pound line today and probably a size 18 hook. Greg wondered what Ray was fishing. ‘Sister’s birthday.’

‘Not your thing?’

‘Nah.’ Greg shook his head. Annie liked that kind of thing, socialising, making inane talk to people you didn’t know and were never likely to meet again. What was the point in that? ‘You know me.’

She was better going on her own. All Chelsea’s friends were posh types, bankers, minor celebrities. Annie loved all that. He couldn’t stand it – they were all so false. Annie moaned at him, but then he only annoyed his wife when he went along and then didn’t know what to say to anyone.

Similarly, Annie never came fishing with him. She used to, once upon a time. He’d fallen in love with her while he was fishing. Annie used to come along regularly then. She couldn’t stand to be away from him for five minutes and she’d spend all day happily lying on the bank beside him just to be near him. He liked that, the quiet moments they’d shared.

As the years passed, his wife had come along less. There was always something to do at home, she said. But occasionally, he’d persuade her. Then he’d fish and she’d sit with a book and a bottle of wine. He thought it was a wonderful way to pass time. Annie was, invariably, bored out of her skull after a couple of hours. And, in recent years, she hadn’t come along with him at all. Now she preferred spending time with her twin sister when he was out. But it was good for a couple to have separate interests, wasn’t it?

Greg hoped that his wife had enjoyed herself at the party and he was looking forward to her coming home today. He might not want to go with her, but he had to admit that he didn’t like it when she wasn’t there either.

‘She’s a good woman, that one,’ Ray said sagely. ‘Fine, fine woman.’

He might have the upper hand when it came to fishing skill, Greg thought, but Ray knew an awful lot more about women than Greg ever would.

‘Yeah,’ Greg said with a contented smile. He couldn’t agree more.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Lauren comes to Euston station with me. She clings on to me before I head off for my train. ‘You’ll be okay,’ I reassure her, patting her back. ‘We both will.’

‘Love you,’ she says. ‘I’ll come up next week – if Jude’s not around.’ He still hasn’t called and one of her fingernails has been chewed ragged because of it.