She was drunk, on him as much as the wine. His glance made her giddy, his touch turned her insides to butter, his voice wrapped her in static anticipation. She didn’t want the night to end. She had an enormous urge to offload everything, to tell him about Izzy, about Nick and Tim Ritchie and Ben, but she had the sense to pull back from the brink. He was still too close to Grace, and she didn’t know yet whether she could trust him. She would wait until she had him at her feet.

She contented herself with telling him about her very brief liaison with an older man. Douglas looked Angus Moody up on his smartphone and raised his eyebrows.

‘He’s seriously loaded,’ he commented. ‘Shame you didn’t stick around a little longer. You might have got a pay-off. A bit of Cartier, perhaps.’

‘I’m not that sort of girl.’

She laughed, because he was only joking, but she found herself telling him what she had overheard at Angus’s house that afternoon, about the dubious nature of his business dealings, flattered by the way Douglas seemed so absorbed in her tale. It was only later that she discovered his interest was a little more than superficial.

GRACE

Saturday, 5 May 2018

ONCE I’VE SETTLED KAI BACK IN BED, I TAKE THE LETTER out from under my top and unfold it.

22 March 2017

Dearest Taisie,

Anna! (I’m finding it impossible to think of you as anything other than Taisie I’m afraid.) Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this afternoon. I will treasure the memory. You are a precious, special young woman and I hope you will always know this.

I have such fond memories of those summers watching you and your siblings growing up. I’m just so terribly sorry it all ended like it did. It was an idyllic time. I sense that you don’t think as well of yourself as I do, so do something for me. Try not to allow past hurts and grudges to fester. Take my advice and talk to your family. They miss you very much. You’ve made the first step now. It’ll be easier to make contact with the others.

I get the feeling I may have put my foot in it, as regards Nick Ritchie. I want you to know that I certainly don’t favour him over you. I would have encouraged any young person who showed a genuine interest and followed it up with such persistence. Send Kai my way when the time comes. I’ll be happy to help in any way I can. He sounds like a wonderful young man.

Yours

Angus

The notepaper is expensive and has Angus’s Kensington address embossed in a black font. He used a fountain pen, and his signature is restrained but confident. I lay the letter on my knees, feeling a little ashamed of myself for prying.