His thoughts drifted to Ninni. For some reason he kept thinking about her. She had edges, he thought. He liked that. And he liked her curls. She had a funny way about her. Charming, even. And she looked amazing in her underwear.

To distract himself, he rummaged through the cupboards and discovered a row of old exercise books in the back. He pulled one out and was about to open it when the phone rang. Jack picked it up and looked at the screen. Fedra again. She wasn’t taking no for an answer, of course she wasn’t, but he didn’t want her to start bothering Danny and Holly, or his dad.

This time he answered. ‘What do you want?’

Fedra was silent for a second, unusual for her, but Jack didn’t take the bait.

‘Why haven’t you responded to my calls?’ she finally said in her usual demanding voice, the one he used to think was sexy. Now it was annoying.

‘Because I don’t have anything to say to you,’ Jack said.

‘That’s so insensitive and so typical of you. You are so selfish, Jack. The moment something doesn’t go your way, you quit. I do hope that your little travel adventure has made you think about your behaviour.’

Jack wondered, and not for the first time, if she was able to hear herself. ‘Get to the point, Fedra. I’m busy.’

While he spoke, he pulled out one of the exercise books and put it on the counter. The pages were yellow at the edges. When he opened it, the pages were filled with spiky writing, clearly recognisable as recipes of some sort, and done mostly with pencil. Some of the pages had simple drawings. There were a few landscape sketches, quite a few of meat cuts and also of sheep, and a few of a young boy.

‘I want it back, you bastard,’ Fedra hissed in his ear.

Jack had almost forgotten she was on the phone. ‘Want what back?’ He knew perfectly well what she was talking about.

‘The book, of course. The recipe book. I know you took it. It belongs to the restaurant.’

‘Every recipe in that book I developed. I created them. It’s my book.’

‘Yes, but it was done while working for us, in this restaurant, so it belongs to us. And I want those recipes back.’

Jack remembered the humiliation they had put him through, and snorted. ‘How is Pierre doing? Is he getting you one of those pesky Michelin stars you’re so hungry for?’

‘Pierre is doing fine, thank you. He’s doing his best, but he’s not you, Jack. Nor am I.’

And there it was, Jack thought. There was a certain amount of satisfaction in hearing her admission.

‘Are you sure? He took over pretty quickly – both you and the restaurant, as I recall.’

Fedra narrowed her eyes. Oh, you’re such a bastard. I didn’t cheat on you, and you know that. So don’t play hurt, if you don’t mind.’