Through the narrow doors, they fell back into smaller groups, couples and single file, banging on doors as they passed, raising the house. Jules was still hanging off her, lurching wildly, sending them both into the walls and then off again. He kept laughing but she . . . she couldn’t stop crying. Why was she crying? Her mascara streaking down her cheeks, her hair tangled and wind-whipped.

Up the stairs they went, falling up them, past a door that was already open. Nathan was standing in it wearing just his pyjama bottoms, oblivious to everything but the sight of her. Wrecked.

Their eyes locked and she felt time slow as she passed by, seeing the look in his eyes. Neither one uttered a sound but they both felt it – the shattering of something good, something right, something pristine.

And then he was out of sight, behind her, already part of her past. Another regret.

Her greatest regret.

‘I’ve been just trying to do things differently this time. I don’t want to make the same mistakes.’

He looked back at her for a minute as though assessing her for risk. A born soldier. ‘Okay, fine,’ he said eventually. ‘Let’s just get through the next week without any further mishaps. Things will settle down again once this wedding business is all done and dusted.’

She gave a thin smile. ‘Exactly.’

‘Hey! The happy couple.’

They turned to find Jules sauntering over, arms wide, legs bending at the knee playfully.

‘Jules,’ she sighed, letting him reach over and kiss her cheek.

‘Talk of the devil,’ Stephen said wryly, pumping his hand with extra grip. ‘We were just talking about you.’

Jules held his hands up in surrender. ‘Whatever it was, I sincerely apologize, I wasn’t in my right mind. I lost that years ago.’

Stephen allowed a bemused tiny smile. He had always somehow understood her ex-husband was no threat, as though he’d got the measure of him. ‘Hmm. Well, I’d better mingle. Don’t spend too long reminiscing.’

He walked off, joining a couple of his father’s friends.

‘Christ, does he always have to walk like he’s chewing a toffee in his arse?’ Jules murmured, looking back at her wickedly.

‘Oh? Have you got a suite of walks then? One for every occasion?’

He laughed, shooting her a dazzling smile. Her sarcasm had always thrilled him; she was one of the only females on the planet not to fall at his feet and agree with everything he said. ‘God, I miss you.’

‘No you don’t.’

‘No, I don’t, you’re right. You were always far too clever for me. I could never quite get ahead of you. You usually made me feel about this small.’ He pinched his index finger and thumb together.

‘Careful. People will wonder what we’re talking about,’ she said waspishly, having another sip of her drink, although frankly she was grateful for the light relief. The conversation with Stephen had left her feeling rattled again, every declaration of love somehow resurrecting memories of Nathan and the terrible thing she’d done.