‘I’m not quite sure why you’re still here, Esther.’

‘Hasn’t Nick told you? I was teaching in Spain, and then it just seemed to dry up, and he was kind enough…’

I ignored her, instead looking out of the window at the Friday afternoon traffic streaming towards the Hammersmith flyover.

‘I know the bare facts, but you and I also know that we’ve got an agreement. I’ve ignored your presence up to now, because I assumed you’d honour it.’

She reddened, looking down at the desk.

‘I’m sorry, Lily, I promise I’ll be gone soon.’ I could hear the Northern lilt in her voice, the way the ‘I’ lazily stretched itself out like a stray cat in a patch of sunlight. She really hadn’t learned that the first rule of moving up in life is to paper over the cracks – no wonder her heels were worn down to wafers.

‘I kept my side of the bargain before Christmas,’ I said.

‘Yeah, I know you did. I’m really grateful,’ she said, stumbling over her words.

‘I want you gone,’ I said. ‘It’s not a request.’

I kept staring at her, wondering if my gaze could actually succeed in reducing her to tears: I was a Jedi warrior with a very specific set of skills. Then I turned on my heels and slipped a hand down the side of the sofa, pulling the iPad out like a magician performing his final trick.

‘There it is! I don’t know how I managed to leave it in such an unlikely place.’

Esther’s shoulders slumped, her body registering defeat. Certainly, that’s what I put it down to at the time.

‘At least you’ve found it now,’ she stammered.

‘Absolutely. I got what I came for.’ I pushed the iPad into the deep recesses of my black leather tote and swung the door wide. ‘Have a lovely weekend, won’t you?’

It’s galling to think, from where I stand now, that there’s every chance she actually did.

RACHEL