‘Yes, I am,’ said Will. ‘And you’re a very bad girlfriend. Ex-girlfriend. Whatever.’

Will’s left hand had been joined by his right, and he was lightly massaging Tamsin’s breasts through the fuzzy grey wool of her dress.

‘I’m just helping you take your mind off things,’ said Will. ‘Callum never has to know.’ He leaned forward and kissed her mouth softly.

‘Unless I tell him,’ said Tamsin, through the kiss.

Will snapped his head back. ‘You bitch,’ he said, half-admiringly. Then he pushed Tamsin backwards and she reached up to grab his shirt, drawing his body down roughly on top of hers, welcoming his weight, the way it crushed her into the sofa.

* * *

Callum stayed in bed all the next day, which was Friday, the last day of term. He wanted to hear Tamsin’s voice but he couldn’t face telling her what had happened, or even that he had lost his job. Obviously she would have to know eventually. But for now he decided to behave as if he were still at school and call her only at the usual times: mid-morning, during break; then at lunch; and then at 3.30 p.m., which was always a free period for him on Fridays. Tamsin probably didn’t know that, but it seemed best to do the thing properly. When school finished, at 6 p.m., he rang again. And then again, and then again. Worried now, he tried Roz, who was curiously cagey; she said she had seen Tamsin on Thursday night but had no idea where she might be now.

Callum gave up and rang Will, but his friend wasn’t picking up, either. He waited half an hour, tried Will two more times, and then, in desperation, sent him a text to explain that he’d lost his job. Will called back within minutes, full of sympathy, insisting on taking Callum out.

They met in the bar of the Covent Garden hotel, where Will treated Callum to the enormous seafood platter and round after round of expensive martinis.

Callum found himself running with the line the school had given him. ‘“Irreconcilable professional differences”,’ he said bitterly, taking a large mouthful of martini. ‘Otherwise known as, the headmaster fucking hates me.’

‘Sounds sketchy to me – probably illegal, even. Do you want to lend me your contract? Be happy to have a read. I mean, employment law’s hardly my thing, but I’ve got friends…’ Will tailed off; Callum was shaking his head emphatically.

‘No. No. I’m glad to be out, I’ve had it with schools. I’m going to – well, I don’t know what I’m going to do, but not that.’