‘What a night me and Jack Templeton had back in nineteen seventy-eight …’ he mused, and then he added he was a little worried about the hundreds of people who’d be there, and I said that it’d be OK, that I would look after him. And I thought Salvi would be there to look after him, too, but he doesn’t even know about it. I forgot to mention it when we had the lunch and the evening and the morning, and since then he hasn’t called me. If we went out again, I’d be that girl again. The one he looked at with tenderness in his eyes. I wouldn’t ask him to sleep with me; I wouldn’t ask him for anything. I’d be exactly who he wanted.

I’ll text him. When we get back to The Palladian, where the three Blondie tickets are in the drawer of the console table, waiting, I do just that. This is not the Dark Ages and women can ask men out to things. We can put ourselves forward. We can be brave. And I’m thinking of tomorrow night, and the possibility of Salvi’s arms around me at the concert. The possibility that he does really like me, after all. And me getting that feeling back.

Do you want to go and see Blondie tomorrow night?

There’s no answer. An hour sludges by, like treacle down a plate. I try to read an article about Frida Kahlo but I can’t concentrate. At the end of that leaden hour, I have a mad idea. I could go and present his ticket to him. I could go to the Old Bailey and wait for Salvi to come out, for his lunch break, catch him outside. Then he’s got to come.

‘Dad, I’m going out again for a bit,’ I announce. ‘Is that OK?’

‘Sure, love. Where are you off to?’

‘Just to my charity shops. Won’t be long.’

‘OK, pet, mind how you go.’

I’ve stood here for fifteen minutes, over the road from the Old Bailey, by the fountain, and there’ve been lots of coming and goings, but no sign of Salvi. I’m thinking about leaving. I feel foolish. My insecurities are starting to sweep across me again, like the shade in the courtyard of The Monastery. I look down the street. A car passes me, a woman staring out of the passenger window. I watch the car round the corner and disappear.