Tilly is now confident. Gone is the bashfulness, the easy embarrassment, the timid feminine thing of sheltering behind the masterful man. When they had first married, Tilly had been a reluctant interface with the outside world. She pleaded with Jomier to make the calls – to the utility companies, to their friends. He issued the invitations. He booked the tickets. He made the plans. After the divorce he came to realise that this dominance had been illusory. He had been the front man, the factotum, not the boss. ‘The Tylers love their Volkswagen Golf.’ ‘There’s this villa in Umbria which Susie and John rented last year . . .’ ‘Let’s have the Simpsons to dinner, with the Chalmers . . . and Max and Jane.’

Tilly is going around with a teapot to refill the mugs of Henry and Sandra’s friends. Every now and then she glances at Sandra: her daughter-in-law is her only constraint. In some ways the two women are like-minded: Sandra too does not believe that she was born to dust, hoover or clean lavatories with bristly brushes. But nor was Sandra born to shop and gossip with her friends. Sandra’s destiny is to study spreadsheets, take calls, send emails, hold meetings and fit in, where she can, her husband, her children, her friends. Tilly keeps an eye on her daughter-in-law because it has been known for Sandra to complain to Henry that his mother is ‘taking over’. Their family. Their home. Mournfully, Henry has turned down invitations to Sunday lunch in Phillimore Gardens – roast leg of lamb, fresh mint sauce, glazed carrots, Jersey Royal potatoes – and trudged off to Tesco to buy a chicken to take home and cook himself.

So far Sandra is happy enough to let Tilly busy herself at the party. It leaves Sandra free to talk to the toddlers’ daddies – the high-flying bankers, politicians and journalists who are their friends. Tracey lights the four candles on the birthday cake. It is placed before Ned. Henry takes out his Nikon Coolpix digital camera to catch an image of Ned as he blows out the candles. There is cheering and clapping. Ned becomes overexcited. He wriggles in his chair, catches the paper tablecloth with his foot which overturns a plastic cup filled with orange squash. Alena swoops to clear it up. Tilly steps forward to help Ned cut the cake. It is a step too far. Sandra puts down her mug of tea and comes forward with a large black knife. Tilly backs off. Sandra guides Ned’s hand as he cuts the cake.