‘Darling, how are things?’ Sadie looks concerned, but Rupert notices how she arranges herself artfully in the chair across from him so that her legs are on full display, in typical Sadie fashion.

‘Fine,’ he says, shortly. ‘I’m quite busy, though, Sadie, so if that was all you wanted…’

‘Oh Rupert,’ she sighs, ‘can’t you even spare me five minutes? I just wanted to check in on you, that’s all. I’ll probably go and see Emily later as well, just to make sure she’s OK. She was terribly worked up yesterday when I left her.’

‘I’m sure she was,’ Rupert sighs, putting his pen down. He won’t get anything done now until Sadie leaves.

‘It must have been a terrible shock, Emily coming out with something like that. Are you sure you’re OK, Rupert? You look dreadful.’ Flirty Sadie is gone, now it’s just his old university friend in front of him and Rupert feels himself relax.

‘Oh God, Sadie, I don’t know.’ He pushes his hand through his hair and then scrubs both palms over his face. ‘I thought meeting Emily, marrying Emily was a second chance for me. A chance to put everything right that went wrong with Caro, but it just doesn’t seem to be happening like that. Emily is convinced that someone wants to split us up – I still don’t know what to think – and her saying last night that she thinks Caro is still alive… If I could go back to that night, the night Caro died and change it all then I would.’ He stops talking abruptly, as if shocked at his own words.

‘Oh, Rupert,’ Sadie says, ‘what happened to Caro wasn’t your fault.’

‘What if it was?’ Rupert asks, getting to his feet, ‘I argued with her, after all, and it was about something silly, nothing that warranted what happened after. I just want Emily and I to get back on track.’

Sadie says nothing for a moment, her lips pressed tightly together. ‘Look, Rupert…’ She pauses as the door opens and Rupert’s secretary pokes her head in with a curious glance at Sadie.

‘Sorry, Rupert, Michael just wants to see you in his office for a second. Could you possibly spare him a few minutes?’

Rupert nods. ‘Tell him I’ll be along in a second. Sadie, are you OK to wait here for a moment while I just speak to Michael?’

Ten minutes later Rupert returns to his office to see Sadie collecting up her things and getting ready to leave.

‘I’m sorry, darling,’ she says, kissing his cheek and leaving a smear of her trademark red lipstick, ‘I have to dash, something at school for the twins that I simply cannot miss. But Rupert, what happened to Caro wasn’t your fault, and you know where I am if you need anything – anything – at all, OK?’