Then he smiled at me and I smiled back because it was possibly the nicest thing he could have said.

Eleanor reached for her champagne glass and drained it.

‘Be careful not to drink too much in this heat, darling,’ he said to her.

Eleanor ignored him and took a mouthful of steak. She grimaced. ‘Christ, I can’t eat this,’ she opened her mouth and pulled out the piece of meat which she put on the side of her plate. ‘It’s tougher than leather.’

‘Why don’t you have half of mine,’ Max said coolly as he took a sip of wine. ‘It’s incredibly tender.’

‘I’m not hungry.’

I momentarily considered asking if I could take it home to give to my grandad, but decided against it. Eleanor rapidly tapped her perfectly painted fingernail against the table as if punching out Morse code, then she reached for the carton beside her plate. She opened the lid to reveal cigarettes inside which were unlike any I’d ever seen before. Each one a different colour with a filter of shiny gold foil. She selected a red one and lit it.

Eleanor drew on her cigarette then turned to look at me before leaning forward and jabbing my shoulder a couple of times.

‘If you sat up straight and pushed your shoulders back you’d look much more elegant at the table.’

This drew a sharp glance from Edie. ‘For God’s sake,’ she muttered.

‘Don’t be silly. I’m helping, that’s all.’ She smiled at me. ‘You don’t mind do you, Tamsyn?’

I shook my head. I didn’t mind at all. In fact, I was grateful to Eleanor. Yes, her manner was a little brusque, but I was happy to have her point out the things I did wrong. I glanced at Edie who was looking fixedly out to sea, then sat up in my seat, straightening my back and pushing out my shoulders, aware of my chest rising.

Eleanor smiled and sipped her drink. ‘You see, Edie? Now your friend doesn’t look completely like le Bossu de Notre Dame.’

Max cleared his throat. ‘So, Edith, tell me.’ He pressed his serviette to his mouth then placed it carefully on the table. ‘While I’m finishing this magnus opus of mine and your mother is enjoying our little piece of Cornish heaven, how are you planning to use your time while we’re here?’

‘Well, Max.’ She drew out his name and leant towards him. ‘How about I shut myself in my room all day to avoid my family like you do and enjoy a triple vodka for breakfast like she does. That sound okay?’

I inhaled sharply and glanced at Edie in horror. If I used that tone with my mother I’d be sent upstairs before I’d finished my sentence, but Eleanor Davenport merely ignored her so I could only assume she hadn’t heard properly.

Edie stood then picked up a couple of plates and left the table.

It turned out Eleanor Davenport had heard her daughter. ‘Tell me, Tamsyn,’ she said. ‘Do you speak to your mother like that?’