Sadie turns and walks down the long, light, narrow hallway, not waiting to see if Rupert and I are following. Rupert obviously knows the way and leads me through a spacious kitchen and then out through bi-fold doors into an impressive landscaped garden, like nothing I have ever seen before – it makes Rupert’s garden look tiny.

‘Rupert! And this must be Emily! How lovely to meet you. I’m Miles, Sadie’s better half.’ The portly man with the rosy cheeks standing in front of us as we step onto the patio is more welcoming than Sadie, and I feel my shoulders drop down from somewhere around my chin. As I listen with one ear to Rupert and Miles’s conversation, I let my gaze roam across the grounds, taking in the structured landscaped borders, the small orchard of apple trees that cluster at one side of the expansive garden, and if I crane my neck discreetly I’m pretty sure I can see the glint of water, a swimming pool, tucked away behind the pagoda. It’s a far cry from John’s three-bedroom detached house in Surrey. Even further from the tiny council flat Mum and I lived in before that.

‘Emily?’ Sadie appears beside me, a flute of sparkling wine in her hand. ‘Would you like a drink? I brought you a glass of champagne.’

Of course, I think, of course it is champagne. I am beginning to realize that Sadie and Miles – and to some extent, Rupert – occupy another level of income entirely from anything I have ever been used to.

‘Come and meet everyone – those two will be chatting for ages.’ Sadie gestures to where Rupert stands with Miles, both of them laughing. She picks her way delicately across the lawn in her heels, and I follow, thankful that I wore wedges.

‘Amanda, this is Emily, Rupert’s…’ there is a pause, ‘girlfriend. Emily, this is Amanda. She’s married to Will, Rupert’s brother.’ Amanda is beautiful, that’s the only word I can think of to describe her. Slanting green eyes, flawless dark skin and hair carefully styled into a huge afro, with a figure to die for.

‘Nice to meet you. Sorry I couldn’t make it when Rupert introduced you to Will.’ Amanda holds one hand out and I shake it limply, taking a sip of champagne to hide my awkwardness. ‘So, you’re the one who’s brought Rupert back out of his shell. We all thought he’d be in mourning forever.’

‘Oh, um… thank you?’ I flounder for a moment, not sure how to respond. I wasn’t expecting anyone to reference what happened to Caro quite so quickly. ‘I’m glad he’s, errr… back out of his shell.’