‘You must meet a diverse group through your work.’ He’s talking to me, but I can barely look him in the eye. Narcissistic Personality Disorder, I’m certain now, and I hate myself for missing the signs. I know I’ve got to play along because if I don’t he could expose me. He has the photographs. He has enough evidence to ruin my career and possibly my marriage. Tonight will be about control for him. He believes he is smarter, better prepared and has all the power in this situation – he’s probably right on all three counts – and if he lost control, he could do anything.

‘That’s right, Hudson. I meet some real psychopaths. The most frustrating clients are the liars, the compulsive liars that can’t live with their own miserable existence so they try to ruin the lives of those around them. It’s frustrating because when the truth comes out they just end up hurting themselves more than anyone else.’

A pause. ‘Bit bleak, Margot,’ Gabe says with a laugh.

‘Interesting,’ Cormac says. ‘And Gabe, you’re an accountant. How did you get into that line of work?’

‘I just fell into it, I guess. Was always good at maths and studied business and accounting at university.’

Cormac is wearing a Ralph Lauren shirt, pressed chinos and R.M. Williams boots. Gabe’s words from a week earlier ring in my head. He’s a bit preppy. He also has money. He is wearing hundreds of dollars’ worth of clothes. The deeper the deception, the more concerning it is, I think. Who would go to these lengths to disguise their true self?

‘That’s nice, and July wants to work in medicine. You guys are such a clever family.’

‘Hold that thought,’ Gabe says, going to the kitchen. When he comes out, he brings a tray of roast beef with him, then freights the rest of the food in trips back and forth from the kitchen: mashed potato, peas, roast carrots and sweet potatoes. Finally a gravy boat filled to the brim.

We gather around the table. I keep one eye on Cormac.

‘This looks incredible,’ he says.

‘So, Hudson. What do your parents do?’ Gabe asks.

‘My dad is a lawyer— ’

‘A QC,’ July interrupts. ‘Yeah, that’s right, and my mum was a teacher but now she’s a stay-at-home mum.’

‘You still live at home?’ I ask.

‘Mum, don’t probe,’ July says.

‘It’s fine,’ Hudson says. ‘Yeah, I live at home, although Mum and Dad have been away for six weeks, so it’s just been me and my sister.’

‘His family also has a house down in the country.’

Is there a flash of annoyance in Cormac’s eyes? Was that something he wanted to keep from me. ‘That’s right,’ he says.

I can’t eat a thing, I feel too sick with worry. ‘Why didn’t you go along with them – your parents?’