She pushed the front door open and walked through the hallway to find Brian pacing the lounge, Noah wailing uncontrollably in his arms.

‘Oh, good!’ he shouted above the noise. ‘I wasn’t sure what else I could do.’

The screaming was already splitting her head.

‘Has he had the whole bottle?’ She moved gingerly forwards.

‘Yes, two, actually.’

‘Oh. Well I expect it’s wind then if he’s had that much.’

‘It is two o’clock, Lou – he would’ve usually had two feeds by now, wouldn’t he?’

Yes. Of course he would’ve. Louisa had forgotten the time.

‘Pass him to me.’ Louisa took Noah from Brian and placed him over her shoulder and began jiggling him about. She looked into Brian’s eyes, trying to gauge his mood.

‘Are you still mad at me?’ he said.

‘I didn’t realise I was mad at you to start with.’ She frowned.

Brian lowered his head. ‘Tiff reckons you were just overwhelmed by it all but I saw something else in your eyes when you shouted at me – that I’d made a huge mistake throwing a party.’

Louisa swallowed hard. Another part of the night she didn’t remember. She was scared to ask what exactly he thought he’d seen in her eyes. Noah had quietened down despite his awkward position – his top half slumped over her shoulder so all she could see was his bottom and legs – and she swayed gently to keep him that way.

‘I was overwhelmed, yes. If it’d been people I knew well, I might’ve coped. But all those, well, strangers. It was a little much. Sorry if I came across as ungrateful, though. I know you and Tiff had the best intentions. And I certainly slept well.’

‘Yeah, I guess that was the goal really. That’s why I tried not to take it to heart.’

‘Take what to heart?’ The pulse in her neck was no doubt perceptible; what else had she said and done?

‘When you left early. One minute you were saying all you needed was fresh air, then you disappeared without even saying anything to the guests. Or us. Emily was pretty put out. But I explained that you were exhausted, and the party had taken it out of you. That you needed undisturbed sleep more than a surprise fortieth. Which, of course, was what Emily had said to start with. Sorry, I should’ve listened to our daughter.’

‘I’m sorry. Everyone must’ve thought me so rude.’ Her mind was dazed, confused at this new information. ‘Did you come by my room? Check up on me?’

‘No. I thought it best to leave you alone. And anyway, Oliver said he’d seen you going into the accommodation entrance, so I knew you were all right.’

‘Oliver saw me? Did he speak to you then?’

‘Yeah. Nice guy actually. We chatted for ages after you’d gone.’