However, after the cheering, chanting and drum-banging which accompanied the setting sun as it left behind a sky beautifully streaked with gold and rose-coloured clouds, most of the crowd began to dwindle away. Everyone was full of the delicious food Sophie had provided and Hope’s cookies, which had gone down a storm, along with a measure or two of the far from innocuous punch, and staying out of sight became considerably harder.

‘Tess, would you mind helping me hand out the sparklers?’ Hope asked as it began to get dark. ‘I don’t want to leave lighting them too much longer because I think Mum’s punch is a bit stronger than usual.’

No one was falling-down drunk, but I could understand her concern about offering around mini explosives to revellers who weren’t quite in full control of their faculties. I was beginning to feel a little light-headed myself.

‘I think you’re right,’ I said. ‘I’ve only had one cup and I’m already feeling it.’

Hope, taking in my chilled-out aura, rolled her eyes and smiled.

‘Come on then,’ she said, handing me a few of the packets. ‘Let’s see if we can find any takers.’

It turned out that everyone wanted to light a sparkler and make a wish and there weren’t quite enough to go around. I was willing to forgo the pleasure of burning one, but Sam wouldn’t hear of it.

‘Here you go, Tess,’ he called, when he noticed I wasn’t joining in. ‘They were your idea, so you can’t miss out. Come and share mine.’

‘But what about Hope?’ I said. ‘She hasn’t got one either.’

Sam pointed to where Hope was laughing with a guy I hadn’t seen before. He was standing behind her, a little too close for comfort, I couldn’t help thinking, and together they were making shapes in the air with the sparkler she had given him.

‘She’s all set by the looks of it,’ said Sam.

He didn’t seem at all bothered by the sight of his other half wrapped up with a random reveller.

‘All right,’ I relented, thinking it would be rude to refuse, ‘we’ll share. Thank you.’

Rather than go for the cosy set up Hope and her friend had opted for, I held the sparkler until it had burned halfway down and then, fumblingly, handed it to Sam. When our fingers touched this time, I didn’t go quite as hot as when he held my hand in the car, but it was a close-run thing.

‘What did you wish for?’ he huskily asked, ramping up the heat again in spite of my best efforts to keep it at bay and making my insides fizz as dramatically as the cheery display which was still going on around us.

‘If I tell you that,’ I swallowed, ‘it won’t come true.’