‘Thank you,’ I said. He poured out another half-glass from a bottle. They sat and watched as I drank.

‘The soot really is terrible right now, isn’t it?’ said Bella.

I looked at my reflection in the wine glass. ‘Oh, no,’ I said, seeing a film of grime on my face. ‘I had no idea.’ I scrabbled about in my handbag for a handkerchief.

‘Take mine,’ she said, holding out a square of linen.

‘Oh, I couldn’t. I wouldn’t want to make it filthy.’ She shrugged and smiled again. I took it and dabbed at my face, making little difference.

‘So you’re going to be a new mother to dear little Hazel,’ said Bella.

‘Well, I don’t know … I mean to say –’

‘She’s a real poppet. I do want to see her,’ she told Nick.

‘Yes, of course.’

‘Nick tells me you’re a teacher.’

‘Yes, I am. Well, not at the moment.’

‘Oh, I’m sure it’s hard in London. A different sort of place from Herne Bay.’

‘Yes. Yes, it is,’ I replied, a little surprised that she knew quite so much about me.

The door opened and a big man with a jet-black heavy moustache and an unmistakable military bearing entered.

‘This is Bella’s husband, Major Kenneth Singent,’ Nick said.

‘How do you do?’ I said, holding out my hand.

He shook it solidly. ‘How do you do?’ he repeated, taking up the unclaimed glass of wine and saying nothing more.

‘So how are things guarding us all, Major?’ asked Nick.

‘We’re doing our job,’ he replied.

‘I’m sure you are. The Major’s regiment is currently standing on top of the Wall, ensuring none of us are tempted to leap over.’

‘We’re making sure the Americans don’t invade.’

‘Yes, indeed,’ Nick said. ‘Cheers.’

‘I went to Herne Bay years ago,’ said Bella. ‘So charming. However did you and Nick meet?’

‘On the platform at Waterloo Station.’

‘Oh, yes, that’s right.’ She looked at Nick. ‘How romantic.’

‘It has suited us,’ I said. ‘Hasn’t it?’

‘Yes,’ Nick replied. ‘Handsomely.’

‘I’d better get started in the kitchen,’ I said.

We were soon joined by Charles and by Nick’s colleague Sanderson Morton, a neurologist at Guy’s. Over vegetable soup, Morton told us how he had found a Parasite in his department and dismissed him. ‘I’m glad to say that one of my more socially aware workers reported him. I should have informed the Department of Labour, but he had a family so I just gave him his cards and told him to go,’ he said, spooning the soup to his mouth. I held myself back from taking him to task about this man and his family.