People in the throes of an affair, Connie had often observed, often appeared buoyed up – the damage and distress coming later, of course – carried away, initially, by the blind thrill of it, as if it were the most glorious thing in the world to cheat on the person you love. Connie felt sick, not elated, as the reality of last night hit her. Yet she seemed completely unable to stop the juggernaut. Warsaw, she thought, as she sat there, head resting on her folded arms in the hotel toilets. Tomorrow night. And her body melted in direct defiance of her shame.

When she returned to the foyer, Miles and Deborah had gone.

How Connie got through the packed day – sorting out the Loaders’ departure, the journey to Warsaw, the settling of the group in the new hotel and supper with five of them – she would never know. But get through it she did. Now it was nearly midnight and she lay on her bed, fully clothed, too enervated even to undress.

Jared had not been in touch. But, then, he never told her what he was planning. In a way, though, the random nature of his visits made their affair – because what else could she call it now? – seem less solid, less premeditated … but, she was ashamed to admit, also more exciting. Will he come tonight? She hoped not. Sleep was the only thing she needed right now.

Connie awoke a couple of hours later, still dressed and lying on top of the duvet, the bedroom lights blazing. She was cold and disoriented, her mouth sour from the wine at dinner. Dragging herself to sitting and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she shivered. We’re only in Warsaw for two nights, she thought, as she stumbled out of her clothes and into the bathroom, wondering how she would feel if Jared didn’t appear.

‘Hey, Mum, glad I caught you.’ Caitlin’s voice sounded cheery.

Connie was waiting in the lobby for everyone to assemble and be told the plans for the day when she took the call.

‘I haven’t heard a peep out of you,’ her daughter was saying. ‘I wondered if you’d been swallowed up by a salt mine or something. They have a famous one in Poland, don’t they? I’ve read about it somewhere.’

Connie smiled. ‘They do indeed. But for some reason they crossed the salt mines off the itinerary this year. Could a salt mine need renovating?’ The sound of Caitlin’s laughter was so welcome … and so uncomfortable.

‘So where are you now?’