She typed back. All good here too, Navillus. Hope your jetlag isn’t too bad. FF

I’m eating a banana. The potassium helps reset my internal body clock. Your turn to play a word!

After playing her letters, she fixed her hair into a long plait again. She hadn’t worn it in a bun since she’d left Gillian’s office. As she got dressed, the jetlag made her movements clumsy. The idea of running into Alex again soon had also become real.

Rose had coaxed the entire story out of her again before she left. ‘Please. It will be therapeutic for you.’

‘It won’t be. It will only be mortifying,’ she said, before giving in.

She’d met Alex on her first day in Edinburgh. She was sixteen. He was nineteen. It was like being struck by hormonal lightning, she told Rose.

She’d had crushes before, kisses at school dances too, but nothing serious. She’d been shy about such things. Her mother had sat her down some weeks earlier and asked if she wanted to go on the Pill. Eliza was so embarrassed she’d pulled her jumper over her head. Jeannie laughed and hugged her. ‘Not yet, then. But let me know when and if you do.’

Eliza peeked over the jumper. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be warning me against premarital sex?’

‘I’m being responsible. I also don’t want you to miss out on any fun. Sex can be a glorious thing. Don’t be frightened of it. Choose your partners wisely and well. Always use contraception. Mind you, I’d love you to have an unplanned pregnancy. I’d make a wonderfully groovy granny, don’t you think?’

‘Mum!’

‘I’m serious. You mightn’t realise it yet, but you’re officially a seething storm of hormones. A sudden urge to lose your virginity might leap out unexpectedly. Let me know if you start to feel any lustful stirrings and I’ll whisk you off to get the Pill quicker than you can say, “Wear a condom, please, sir.”’

‘Stop it!’

Her mother just laughed, of course. She loved shocking Eliza.

Alex had been lying stretched out on the sofa in the Montgomery’s family apartment. When Olivia introduced her, he leapt up, tall, graceful, his hand held out. ‘So she is real, this mysterious goddaughter! I’m Alexander. And I’m so pleased to meet you.’

She’d never seen anyone as good-looking. Never heard such a voice, his Scottish accent smoothed to a musical polish courtesy of his boarding school education. His eyes were blue, sparkling.

Rory joined them soon after. Aged seventeen, he was the opposite to his brother in every way. Shy. Awkward. A bit goofy, even. It was as if Alex had received the quality ingredients and Rory was left with the offcuts.

‘Don’t get too interested, Eliza,’ Olivia warned her later. ‘Yes, Alex is charming, and popular too. Especially with the girls. It’s because he’s had lots of practice.’

His attention felt so genuine, though. She felt her heart beat faster whenever he appeared. He even joined her and Olivia one afternoon for a trip to the art gallery. She barely noticed the paintings.