‘I suppose so,’ she replied nervously.

Julian eyed her. ‘Look, everyone will understand. Of course there’ll be some gossip, this is a small community, and a lot of them haven’t got anything more interesting to think about. The situation’s getting ridiculous: arriving separately at dinner parties, then meeting up again here at home.’

Angelina sipped her coffee. ‘The reason we’ve done it this way is for Rory. What if one of his friends mentions you at school, having heard from his parents?’

‘There’s far more chance of his father telling him, now he knows,’ Julian replied irritably. ‘And I’m afraid my patience has run out. For God’s sake, your divorce came through weeks ago! Our relationship is hardly illegal and I’m sick to death of feeling it is. I’m going to shower.’

Angelina heard the shower door bang closed and realised that whatever she felt, it was a fait accompli, and Rory, like it or not, was going to have to be told.

Later, the two of them set off into Foltesham to run some errands. Angelina went to the fishmonger’s to buy a side of salmon for supper, Julian to the off licence to buy some wine. They met by the pedestrian crossing in the centre of the high street, Angelina nervously glancing up and down to see if anyone they knew was watching.

Julian grabbed her hand and was about to pull her across the road when he saw who was standing on the other side.

‘Hello there, you love birds!’

It was David.

‘Come on, Julian, let’s go.’ Angelina tried to pull him back, but Julian insisted on stepping onto the crossing. They met David in the middle of the road. His eyes were bloodshot and he was unsteady on his feet.

‘Hello, David, how are you?’ Julian spoke politely as they tried to pass but David grabbed hold of the lapel of Julian’s jacket.

‘I’m shit, as you can see. And let me just tell you something. If you ever, ever touch a hair on my son’s head, I’ll kill you! Do you hear me?!’

‘I do. Goodbye, David.’ Julian wrenched himself away and walked towards the pavement with a horrified Angelina by his side.

‘Did you hear me, you arrogant tosser?! I’LL KILL YOU!’

‘The whole of Foltesham heard you, you prick,’ Julian mumbled. ‘Come on, leave him. He’s drunk as a skunk, doesn’t know what he’s saying.’

Cars were beeping David, who was still standing in the middle of the road glaring at their receding figures.

Angelina arrived at the car, climbed inside and promptly burst into tears.

Julian patted her shoulder ineffectually. ‘Come on now. He was drunk, that’s all.’

‘Oh God, how can we live here, Julian? I’m scared stiff every time I walk out of the house! Maybe we should move, maybe it’s best.’

‘Absolutely not. We will not be run out of town by a pathetic drunk. We have the law on our side.’ Julian sighed as he pulled the Mercedes out of the parking space. ‘I’m wondering whether I can get another restraining order placed on him. From the way he was today, seems like I might need protection as well. Anyway, we have plenty of witnesses to his threat. Just a pity he didn’t attack me physically, then I really could have done something.’