Ben came out of the bathroom humming softly, then stopped as he saw how still the figure in the bed was. He walked quietly across and stared down at her. She looked young and defenceless, with utter exhaustion written all over her face.

‘Pity,’ he murmured, with a wry smile, ‘but it’d be a shame to wake her.’

And he felt pretty tired himself, now he came to think of it. He climbed in next to her, expecting to have difficulty in getting to sleep in such an aroused state but, like his wife, he was overcome almost at once by sheer fatigue.

Worried that there was no sign of the newly-weds, Louisa phoned through and woke them at nine o’clock the following morning.

Megan jerked awake and realised in horror that she had fallen asleep on him on their wedding night. ‘Ben, I’m so sorry! You should have woken me.’

He shrugged. ‘The pleasure is only postponed,’ he said softly, cradling one of her breasts briefly in the gentle warmth of his hand and planting a slow kiss on her lips.

‘If it were anything else but a plane waiting for us, I’d tell it to go to hell,’ he growled in her ear. ‘But the airlines wait for no man. Come along, Mrs Saunders, your chariot awaits.’ He turned at the bathroom door to grin and admit, ‘And I fell asleep within seconds, too.’

Which made her feel much better. She hardly recognised him with tousled hair and a face flushed with sleep, but she liked the way he looked now. This was the man she had married, not the suave public figure of the previous evening.

And she, too, regretted that waiting plane.

What magic was this that he could touch her and she would melt? Surely, surely, an attraction this strong must lead to more than just a calm friendship? You’re a fool, she told her reflection in the mirror. Don’t ask for more than he can give, at least not yet. Impatience will only lead to unhappiness.

Auntie Eileen filled the drive to Heathrow with praise of the hotel and the food served the previous evening.

Uncle John was very quiet. Just as the newlyweds were about to go through Customs, however, he stopped Ben. ‘Don’t leave it too long before you come back to visit, lad.’ He clasped the hand he had just shaken in both his. ‘We’d like to get to know you better and we shall miss our girl. And don’t forget your promise to look after her.’