Had Marianne been present she would have noted Simon’s quizzical expression, while night after night over dinner and the brandies that followed he listened attentively to a still handsome man, whose youthful face implied he had had it lifted, talk on and on about himself.

There was big money in this one for Simon, his agent kept reminding him when they met for lunch, or in one of the pep talks he delivered to reluctant clients before meetings with lawyers to discuss the bartering that drawing up a contract usually entailed, a process that Simon preferred to leave to his agent. But on this occasion the guy who handled his affairs had wanted him in on it – possibly he thought it was time Simon saw how hard he worked! Having seen it for himself, Simon wouldn’t swap places with him.

Money, though, had never been Simon’s incentive any more than it was Marianne’s. At first he had envied her the creative rewards she had achieved that he hadn’t, but you didn’t go on envying the woman you loved. Admiration had fast replaced it.

All thoughts led him back to Marianne. And he couldn’t bring himself to go spend a cosy evening at home with her relatives. Nor had he time to.

Eventually he called Ronald at the clinic and invited him for a drink at the Plaza.

‘I was leaning on the bar, waiting to be paged,’ he said after Ronald had introduced himself and they had shaken hands.

‘But you didn’t know I’d seen a photo of you! Laura took some at Bessie’s bonfire party. On the one she sent us, you and Marianne were both clutching sparklers.’

That evening had seemed to Simon a turning point for him and Marianne. The welcome he had received, the glow from the leaping flames lighting her face and the rockets zooming skyward along with his hopes.

‘Having a photographer in the family helps keep my wife and me in touch,’ said Ronald. ‘As Marianne may have told you, we’re a very close clan.’

‘If that weren’t so she’d be here with me.’ Did Simon’s tone sound as bitter to Ronald as it had to him? ‘What can I get you to drink?’

‘A cola will be fine, I’m a soft drink guy.’

They sat down on a couple of stools just vacated.

‘Like you, I can’t stay long,’ Ronald said. ‘There’s a patient at the clinic I must keep an eye on tonight.’

‘Don’t let me forget to hand over the tea.’

‘Is that what the something you mentioned on the phone to Diane is? What a treat! When we’re offered a cup of tea over here, we say no thanks.’

‘In case I do forget, there’s enough of your favourite brand in the bag I’ve dumped beside my stool to keep you going for quite a while.’