It had been a wonderful idea, generously thought out. David had obviously worked hard at this surprise. Local music, food and flowers had been arranged. Everyone had taken so much trouble for her. Fleur knew she was childishly ungrateful, but she had not wanted her wonderful spell with David broken, and it had been.

Her parents and Sam had only stayed two nights and then continued on their own separate holidays. But in those two days, David, Sam and her father had gone off walking and exploring together, leaving the women trailing behind them. There had been boys’ drinks till all hours, long after the women had given up and gone to bed.

Fleur knew she was lucky to have a close family who loved her and wanted to spend her birthday with her. She felt even more ashamed of her feelings when Sam, who knew her well, said: ‘Hope you didn’t mind us gate-crashing, little sis. It’s just, I guess we are all are going to go our separate ways now. I’m going to travel for a year with Angie, then make up my mind how I want to specialise. Mum and Dad will be posted who knows where next, and the same goes for you and David…You and I will have children and I quess we’ll never be so close again, will we? You’re all grown-up and married now!’

Fleur had hugged him, looking over his shoulder at the sea glinting in the distance. It wasn’t just her and Sam. It was the memory of a particular time they had all had together, her parents and David. The bond they had all forged in Singapore living and working together would never be so close again. This was the end of a happy childhood for her and Sam. This party – her birthday party – had been recognition of this fact. Life was moving on.

When she stood on the steps with David’s arm round her and watched the two cars pull away, she wept, unsure why. Perhaps the sudden realisation Sam had given her that all the people she loved had been here in one place together.

She suspected David felt the same. An anticlimax had hung over the rest of the day. They drank a lot of wine at supper and tottered up the stairs to bed and had fallen asleep without making love.

Making love. David had laughed at her: ‘You’re a little floozy, you!’

She would wake first and watch him sleeping, aroused by his beauty. His lashes were dark and thick and made shadows under his eyes. His limbs were long and lean and brown. She felt amazed that it was really her in the bed with him. She lay in early sunlight just watching him sleep.

She saw women turn to look at him; their eyes following him around a room. He had a slow, laconic walk and an air of constant amusement which was deeply sexy and Fleur wanted him every minute of the day.