Edie took out a bottle of champagne and popped the cork. ‘I’ll take this one round. It’s time I entertained them with my Child of the Night impression.’ She opened her eyes and made a face like a ghoul and I couldn’t help smiling.

The party grew increasingly raucous as they drank more. At one point, Eleanor, Barbie and Ken disappeared into the toilet together. They were in there for a while and when they stumbled out they were laughing like hyenas.

‘We need proper music!’ Barbie screeched, as the three of them lurched across the living room. ‘Get this crap off and put on something we can dance to!’

Barbie tottered over to the hi-fi and rooted through the music collection. ‘Yes, let’s change it. Max’s bloody jazz is so bloody boring.’ She picked up a shining silver compact disc and narrowed her eyes. ‘You know they said these things were indestructible. Such bollocks. One of ours was scratched before we’d even played it. I can’t say they’ll catch on.’

‘Better than having to pick fluff off needles.’

‘Not if the damn things don’t play,’ she said. She slid the disc into a small plastic drawer, which glided back into the machine as if it were possessed.

Moments later, the sounds of ABBA filled the room and collectively they all began to dance, apart from Max, who watched from the settee, eyes fixed on his wife.

I walked over and stood near to him. ‘I liked the other music,’ I said quietly.

He looked at me and nodded his head whilst raising his glass to me. ‘Then, young Tamsyn, you have impeccable taste. Miles Davies. One of the greatest.’

I turned my attention back to them all as they danced and screeched and smoked and drank. I was mesmerised by it all and relieved I’d stayed and not run back to St Just. This world was Wonderland and I was Alice. The characters around me were as weird and wonderful as the Queen of Hearts and the smoking Caterpillar and the Cheshire Cat’s floating smile. I thought of my father, heard the voices he used when he read me that story. Saw his face twisted into the manic grin of the Mad Hatter as he poured tea on the Dormouse. As I watched them they seemed to grow more fantastical. Their expressions more animated. Their clothes brighter and more outlandish. I watched them pop whole eggs into their mouths, the eggs so tiny it gave the illusion they were giants.

‘Come on,’ Edie said, sidling up behind me. ‘Let’s get out of here.’

‘Don’t I need to ask your mum?’

‘Look at her. She wouldn’t be able to tell you what day it is, let alone who’s around to cut fucking carrots up.’