‘Of course I have regrets. Regrets that my children now have split loyalties. Regrets that I couldn’t be content with what I had. Regrets that I needed more.’ Then, softly, ‘Perhaps I should have been more patient.’

Tiger stowed her bag in the locker at the side of the aircraft, then opened the door and helped her into the passenger seat. She was smartly dressed in a dark brown trouser suit, her blonde hair cut into a neat bob.

She and Christopher had always been an attractive couple: Kate with her ravishing blonde hair and designer clothes, and Christopher, tall and fair with a smile that made women go weak at the knees. He had that total lack of self-awareness that women found irresistible, damn him. And now…

Tiger closed the door and went round to the other side to climb into his own seat. As he did so he noticed her hands. They were as neatly manicured as ever, but there was more jewellery about her now. He glanced at the large diamond ring on Kate’s third finger.

‘It’s on my right hand,’ she said.

Tiger was momentarily embarrassed.

‘You can ask, you know,’ said Kate.

‘I didn’t like to.’

‘He’s a businessman. Quite well off. Very sweet. Very attentive. We travel a lot.’

‘Between City Airport and Southampton?’

‘No. All over the place–LA, New York, Frankfurt.’

‘Goodness.’

Kate smiled ruefully. ‘Yes. Look at me; from GP’s wife to jet-setter in two easy stages.’

Tiger concentrated for a moment as he checked his instruments and started up the engine. He handed Kate a pair of earphones and then asked for clearance to take off.

While they waited he asked, ‘So what does he do?’

‘Howie? He’s in real estate.’

‘An estate agent?’

‘He’s American. A realtor.’ A sardonic note crept into her voice. ‘Buys and sells commercial properties.’

‘Not very glamorous then?’

‘No. But profitable.’

‘Where did you meet?’

‘I went to a party in the city. With a girlfriend. Howie was there.’ She looked across at Tiger. ‘It wasn’t planned. It just gradually sort of grew.’

‘Windjammer three cleared for take off,’ came the message over the radio, and Tiger turned his attention to the controls in front of him.

As the helicopter rose from the Tarmac, Tiger manoeuvred it into a neat pirouette. They lifted higher still and then cut a graceful arc out towards the west.

His flight adjustments completed, he asked, ‘Where are you living now?’

‘Rome, mostly.’

‘How nice.’

‘Yes. It is. It’s a wonderful city.’

‘Romantic,’ said Tiger.

Kate did not reply, but gazed out across the grey London skyline.

‘So where are you off to now?’ He asked it more as a way of filling the uneasy silence than anything else.

‘Back to Rome.’

‘Couldn’t you fly from Heathrow?’ he asked.

‘Howie’s meeting me at Southampton. He prefers to fly from there. Quieter.’

‘I know what he means.’