What the hell had I been thinking? Even the idea of kissing a married man went against my grain: against everything I knew was good and sensible and could square with my conscience.

I thought about Melissa’s words earlier. ‘Don’t be such a prude.’

But I couldn’t deny, whatever my moral code, the idea of Marcus’s mouth on mine had been more than tempting.

It had been hard to fight.

Nella

When my phone buzzed in my pocket at the side of the stage, I was already feeling super stressed by the bloody fireworks that were still not happening – near the end of my tether, truth be told.

It was a text message from an unknown number; automatically, I clicked it open.

Coo-eee! I can see you… nice gold dress.

I looked up and around in horror.

Another message: I’ll be watching you till you do what I said.

I scanned the faces around me: expectant, happy, drunk, both friends and strangers. It could be any one of them – and how would I know this time? I felt more than irritation. This time, I felt fear.

The phone pinged a third time.

See you at the house for drinkies, yeah?

It was my own fault. I should never have answered the first bloody email – but when I tried to tell Marcus earlier that I’d got yet another one today, demanding money, he was so distracted by chatting up the local mayor, whose support he was counting on in the campaign, he didn’t listen.

‘Later, Nels.’ He patted my bum, and it was so dismissive and patronising, I wanted to scream. Would this be what it was like if he ever got to Number 10?

My next step might have to be the police.

But that was opening us up to the very real danger of scrutiny and I’d been warned not to contact them anyway.

I felt useless. I’d taken the stupid job at the shopping channel because that was all that was on offer frankly, but I loathed it.

And the makeover had achieved nothing, and Ruby was still following Marcus about like a kicked dog. When would she get the message, poor woman? Just get to the back of the queue.

It hadn’t been the great success I was hoping for, this street party. I’d wanted a day that beat all other days.

Nothing seemed to be as good as it should be anymore.

It was all just empty. Every last bit of it.

But frankly, I had more worrying things on my mind as I went into the house, smiling through gritted teeth at anyone I passed.

I had to sort this out, once and for all; find out who it was.

I had to stop them ruining our chance to get out of here.

Ruby

I whooped when the last rocket fired, but not for the same reasons as everyone else. I’d loved fireworks once – but these days, they were only a painful reminder of Bonfire Nights gone by.