‘Why don’t we talk to the adviser tomorrow and transfer some money out? We’ll lose a bit of interest, but we’ll make it back up in the long run.’

‘No. That doesn’t make any sense.’ She shook her head. There was no point losing interest.

Mark told her how touched he was that she would think to do this for him, and suggested they book the holiday anyway, using money from his everyday account and treat it like a pre-wedding honeymoon.

This wasn’t what she’d been going for, but the thought of getting away together was too enticing and she agreed. Next year she’d come up with a better plan for his birthday.

The following Friday Nicky stood at the bar at Mark’s firm’s party while he worked the room. She looked around at the familiar yet distant faces. She knew the names of some and had been to dinner once or twice with a couple of them. The rest she wouldn’t have known if they were employees or clients or random people off the street. And none of them made an effort to talk to her.

The two gentlemen in grey suits next to her were talking about some case they were working on. She tried to listen in. Anything would have been better than the silence she was trapped in. But they were speaking so low, she couldn’t make out a word.

She ordered another drink. Never a big drinker, Mark’s work dos always saw her indulge a little more than usual, just to help her get through the long boring hours.

‘Excuse me?’ A young man, mid-twenties maybe, came up beside her. ‘I can’t help but notice you here on your own.’

‘Oh. Hi. Just keeping out of the way. Too much shop talk for me.’

‘I know what you mean.’

The young man was a client of the firm. Or rather his family was, and he was there to ‘represent’, he said. He was a sweet man, and had Nicky laughing before long. It was a welcome change from the rest of the night.

‘And who are you with tonight? You’re clearly not a lawyer.’

Nicky took that as a compliment and smiled. ‘My fiancé.’ She pointed over to Mark.

‘Ah. Avery the Assassin.’

Nicky had heard the nickname before. Every case that went to court, he won. Most opposing counsel tried to settle before it got that far.

Mark slipped his way through the press of people towards them. ‘How’s your night?’ He put his arm around her waist and pulled her in tightly. ‘Having a lovely chat, were we?’

Nicky turned back to the young man, but he’d gone. ‘Seemed like a nice enough guy.’

Mark shook his head. ‘Just goes to show you never can tell. He’s after his family’s money and will do anything to get it. Nasty man, really.’