‘No. But he sort of raised his pint to me, you know?’ Mags makes the motion with her hand. ‘So, I got the feeling he knew who I was, at least. I would have told you if you’d bothered to come home.’

The nausea is getting worse and I have to get outside, get some fresh air before I think I really will throw up. ‘Mags, I have to go. I’m sorry.’

‘What? Why? Because of him? This was supposed to our time. Please, Em, don’t go.’ Mags gets to her feet, but I am already moving towards the restaurant door. ‘At least let me give you your mail before you run off.’ She reaches into her bag and pulls out a small sheaf of envelopes, stuffing them into my bag. ‘I can look after you, Em, you know that. I’m your best friend. Aren’t you worried that if he knows who I am he might have followed me to the flat? He might have followed you from the flat to Rupert’s, did you think about that?’

I stare at her, not sure what to say. ‘Shit. Do you think…? Oh, God.’ The image of the figure stood under the streetlamp outside Rupert’s house looms large in my mind and I scrub my hands over my face. I need to get out, to suck down great lungfuls of fresh, cold air. ‘Sorry, Mags, I do have to go. Thank you for telling me about Harry – you did the right thing. Just… if you see him again, don’t talk to him, don’t engage with him at all. OK? Promise me.’ Impulsively I lean forward and kiss her on her cheek before I hurry away.

Later that afternoon, I sip at the champagne Sadie hands to me as we sit in Veronica’s Bridal Boutique – an upmarket bridal outfit that I would have no chance of patronising if it wasn’t for Sadie’s influence. She and Amanda have dragged me out to help me choose a dress, even though after my meeting with Mags I tried to cry off; dress shopping was the last thing I felt like doing. I could have told them I would be happy with something from the Next bridal range, but I would have been lying. In all honesty, up until I met Mags earlier, I was excited to be able to choose literally any dress I want – and relieved that Sadie and Amanda seem to have accepted me as Rupert’s partner.

‘What about this one?’ Amanda holds up a slinky Vera Wang and I groan as I run my hands over it, shaking off all thoughts of Mags.