He had lost his job and the love of his life but there were moments when he felt strangely calm. Although he missed them all – Sophie, Rhiannon, Michael, Hugh, even Ludo Hall – it was simpler without them. From now on he would live a clean, uncomplicated, solitary life, without sex, without, as far as possible, other people. Children he would avoid above all – not because he didn’t trust himself, exactly, but because it had been too much.

The greater pain of losing Tamsin was tempered by an unexpected lightening. At first he thought this was because, as she’d pointed out in her horrible email, the relationship had been ending for a while. Then it occurred to him that he was relieved because now he would never have to lie to her, would never have to risk her finding out why it was he had left Denham Hall. She might not love him any more, but at least he had given her no reason to hate him.

* * *

One month after his dismissal, Callum had a phone call from Leo Goulding. He had almost forgotten: Leo and Bex were getting married that Saturday, and he was meant to be going to the wedding – with Tamsin.

‘I take it you’ve heard,’ Callum said as cheerfully as possible, doing his best to spare Leo’s understandable discomfort. ‘I’ll be there, but I’ll be on my own. Tamsin and I broke up.’

‘No, I know that.’ Leo was clearly unhappy about something. ‘Actually, Callum, what I want to say – I’m not sure the telephone’s the best – could we meet, maybe, for a quick coffee?’

Over burnt filter coffee in the Tottenham Court Road Starbucks, Leo explained that he wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to be doing but it was surely better than the worst-case scenario, which was Callum finding out at the wedding, you know what weddings are like, too much gossip and too much booze, and as he and Bex didn’t know how he was going to react they thought it was better—

‘React to what, Leo? Just tell me!’

Leo swallowed. ‘Tamsin and Will,’ he said miserably. ‘I heard rumours, I thought it couldn’t possibly be true, but I called Will and shat all over him just to be sure – and it turned out that – they slept together. I’m so sorry.’

Callum nodded numbly. ‘Do you know, do you happen to know when?’

‘About four weeks ago. Will swears that Tamsin said you guys were already over when they – but he knows that doesn’t make it any better – he’s actually devastated, Cal, I don’t think he’ll forgive himself for this.’

‘That makes two of us, then,’ said Callum quietly. ‘I’m afraid I won’t be coming to your wedding after all. Thank you for letting me know.’