Besides, what she had felt for Nick paled in comparison to how his father made her feel. She eyed Tim across the scented candles that had been placed around the table to discourage wasps. He was carving into his steak, cooked on the barbecue to perfection by Angus, his eyes bright as he laughed at something Lorna said. Taisie stared at him, wondering whether he could feel the electricity like she could, whether his senses were alert to her, and when he suddenly caught her eye she felt it like a lightning bolt. The fact that it was wrong made it all the more exquisite. This was the urgent, yearning side of love. Forbidden and taboo. It was OK to dream.

Taisie, Nick and the twins were allowed one small glass of wine each, because they were on holiday – no one realized the twins were used to alcohol. They’d told her that it was smuggled into their boarding school all the time, in soft-drink bottles, protected by ski socks wrapped in articles of school uniform. But as the adults drank more, they became less bothered, and didn’t notice that the kids were helping themselves.

Nick was pissed, Taisie could see that. She could also see that he was building up to something. To have a go at her, probably. He was sitting at the end of the table, with Izzy on his right and Pansy on his left. Taisie was sitting between Alex and Pansy with Freya opposite her, and Rory was at the other end with their mum because he was falling asleep.

Nick hadn’t spoken to Taisie all evening, concentrating his efforts on Pansy and Izzy and enjoying himself. Taisie pretended she didn’t care, but Pansy was flirting with him, batting her eyelashes and giggling like an idiot. Taisie narrowed her eyes. Izzy had a fit of giggles, spitting out her water, and Pansy rocked back in her chair and stretched her arms up behind her head. It was pretty overt, but Nick seemed not to notice. When Izzy got up to go to the loo, Taisie slipped into her place. Nick turned from Pansy and raised his eyebrows.

‘What do you want?’

‘Nothing.’ She chewed at her bottom lip. ‘Just wondering.’

‘I didn’t realize you had the capacity for thought.’

Pansy burst out laughing then shut up quickly at a killer look from Taisie.

‘You can talk.’

‘But apparently I can’t be heard,’ he retorted. Then he turned his back on her and put his bare feet up on the strut of Pansy’s chair.

Taisie’s eyes pricked with tears. She hated him.