‘What’s so funny?’ Marcus, accompanying me, looked curious.

For a moment, I thought I shouldn’t say, but he smiled at me and something inside me shifted, the chance of intimacy becoming irresistible.

Quickly I checked no one could hear. ‘You know that lass you caught nicking out of Nella’s bag?’

‘The lass – oh yeah.’ He leant in. ‘Dores, you mean? She was here earlier with her brother. They donated loads of cakes.’

‘Yes, I saw. Good for them.’

‘Yeah. She made a big mistake that night in the summer, but I think she’s all right really.’

‘Someone thinks she’s all right, that’s for sure.’

‘What?’ A glimmer passed over his face: he was intrigued, I could see.

‘You’ll never guess’ – I was still shocked myself – ‘but I just caught her snogging Lena’s face off in your pantry!’

‘Lena?’ Marcus’s eyes widened. ‘God. Lena as in Ishaan? Snogging Dores? Are you sure?’

‘Yes, Lena as in Ishaan! Poor guy—’

‘Yeah, I wonder. Wow!’

Passing the drawing room, I saw Nella and Rebekah chatting on the sofa; or rather, Rebekah was talking nineteen to the dozen, while Nella sat, looking as tired as I felt.

She raised a weary hand as I passed, and I waved back.

‘Keep an eye on Zach for me anyway please?’ I said as Marcus reached round to open the front door, that bloody aftershave filling my nostrils again.

Zach was nearly six foot tall, and it was daft that I still hated him walking any street after dark. Except he was more at risk than his white mates: it was just a fact.

‘Send him home after the film?’

‘Course I will,’ he said. ‘Night, Ruby. Thanks for everything today.’

I sidled past and stood on the doorstep, absently watching a delivery truck back up in Bill’s drive, a flamboyant ‘Heavenly Hot Tubs’ on the side. It seemed like Marcus wasn’t going to say anything else.

Something was different; I felt the dead air between us – and suddenly, I couldn’t bear to let it go.

So this time I did look at him. ‘I – I’ve enjoyed spending a bit of time here. With’ – I felt the nerves fizz in my belly – ‘with you.’

‘Me too.’ He smiled, his arm on the door frame, platinum watch glinting in the dark. ‘You’re a star. See you soon.’

He went inside and shut the door behind him.

I stood there for a moment, just drenched in shame – dripping with it.

Then I trudged across the still busy square. Someone let off a last rocket, and I watched the bright sparks drifting down the tar-black sky.

I watched them fall, and then I went home. Alone.

I left my son there.

Our lives were turning on their heads, as if in slow motion – as if we were the first astronauts freewheeling on the moon.

As if there was still time to stop the chain of events happening, reel it in safely.