‘Well, all I know is that it’s a system that has never failed my friends. Not me, of course, I am never going to fall in love. I am never going to let some man be able to have control of my psyche.’

Cordelia picked Sue’s bag up and fished her purse out.

‘What are you doing?’ Sue asked her.

‘I’m not doing anything,’ Cordelia said. ‘You’re going to ring your credit card provider and tell them to stop your card. If he is such a man, he can start acting like one and funding his little adventure himself, then let’s see how long Vivien respects him for when he asking her to foot the bill.’

Sue took the card and looked at it.

‘It almost doesn’t matter,’ she said. ‘I’m so up to my ears in debt with the castle, it’s probably a matter of months if not weeks before it all goes anyway. What difference does fifty quid on a Travelodge make?’

‘Sue … What?’ Cordelia ran her fingers through her dark hair, which she had recently streaked with a neon blue. ‘Seriously? Why don’t any of us know this? You spend your life helping everyone else! How much did it cost you to put everyone up during the floods? And you never asked for a penny, and now … now you are saying you are what – bankrupt? Why have you never said you need help?’

‘I’m a Montaigne,’ Sue said, straightening her shoulders. ‘I give help, I don’t receive it. It has always been thus and I will not be the first in my family to fail. This is a private residence. It’s no one’s responsibility except mine. How can I possibly ask people, most of whom lost something, if not everything, in the flood, to help me cling on this ridiculous old relic? No, for now, I need to pull myself together and get back on the wagon and get through Christmas somehow. I will tell the children, but not yet. After Christmas. They are so excited, how can I ruin it for them now?’

‘Well,’ Cordelia said, ‘obviously this is your life, you have to handle the best way you can. But don’t try to do it on your own. Let me tell Tam and Alex, at least. They won’t tell anyone else – but at least we can be here for you. And, honestly, revenge sex really is a tonic. I’ve got a mate, a drummer, he loves older women, and he’s got fantastic rhythm, if you know what I’m saying.’ There was a pause. ‘Well, what I’m saying is that he is very good at sex, not that I know, I haven’t slept with him, he’s got a ridiculous beard, but I know two people who have and they say he’s excellent.’