‘… but you went to university, you say?’ asked Felicity, when she finished a lengthy monologue on the various people who had showed an interest in the Winslow place before Cranham had bought it.

‘Classics,’ I said, and realized I might have to add a bit more. ‘Nuffield. Oxford.’

‘Oxford? That’s a good one, yes?’

I smiled, not unkindly. ‘It is, yes.’

‘They let women go, do they?’

I let my surprise show. ‘Why wouldn’t they?’

‘Don’t know,’ said Felicity, and seemed to mean it. ‘Just seems a man sort of thing. You must be very clever.’

I wasn’t sure what to say. What was the right story to tell? That I was one of only three females on the course? That I’d had to fight twice as hard to prove myself? That I was seen as a tea girl by half the faculty? Or should I tell her how I’d ruined it? How I’d let a married man become the only thought in my head? How I’d become infatuated? I was Byron’s lioness; a creature of undiluted passion, driven mad by a desire to possess and be possessed. I had thrown myself at him. His protestations and dismissals were twisted by my imagination into declarations of eternal love. I left him no choice but to have me. He did his damnedest to resist but I was young and my skin was soft and my mouth was hot and in the end it would have taken more strength than he possessed to resist me. He cried afterwards. Sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands, weeping at what he had done. I see myself there, now. Laying on my back with a triumphant smile on my face and a warm, pleasant pain between my legs. I had done what I set out to. I had earned him. Taken him inside myself. His tears spoiled the moment. I told him not to cry – that he had done nothing wrong. I wanted it. I had forced it. He had earned the right to some happiness. I’ve never forgotten how he looked at me. At the disgust and the anger and the sheer contempt in his eyes. I had trapped him, he said. I’d ruined everything. He did not want this. Never had. I was a whore. A tramp. I was repellent to him …

‘I didn’t finish the course,’ I said, briskly. ‘Baby came along.’

‘Oh well, at least you must have learned something, eh?’ said Felicity. ‘And you’re married now so it doesn’t really matter anyways.’

I wasn’t sure where to start with Felicity. Wasn’t sure how to begin re-educating her. I didn’t know whether to let her ignorance go by unremarked, or to analyse her every statement to see if she could possibly mean the things she said.

‘Dulling over,’ said Felicity, looking at the sky.