I put my hand on his arm. ‘We’re in this together. What are we going to do about it?’ I ask.

‘First, I am not going to tell Saffron.’ He pauses. ‘And I don’t want you to either. She’ll freak out, start to panic that someone is going to kill her. You need to help me protect her for the six months. We need to watch where she goes, everything she does.’

‘Protecting Saffron will be my pleasure.’

The look I have never seen before intensifies. ‘If you touch her, I’ll kill you.’

‘I can assure you, your wife doesn’t want me to touch her. And after so much rejection, I don’t want to touch her anymore.’

He stands up. ‘Just getting another drink. What would you like?’

I look down at my pint. I’ve hardly touched it. ‘I’m fine thanks.’

I watch him walk to the bar, body a little looser after his double whisky. He returns with another large one, bangs the glass on the table and sits down again.

‘You asked me what we are going to do about this situation. I’ll tell you what we are going to do. I want you to pretend that we are both only getting £100,000 to begin with, so that Saffron won’t be worried. Can you help me on that?’

‘That’s fine with me.’

We sit in silence. I finish my pint.

‘And we’ll be getting rid of Hayley, of course.’

I smile. ‘Absolutely. Come for lunch at mine at the weekend. I can help sow the seeds for that.’

170

Miles

Feeling blurred around the edges, after drinking so much alcohol, I stagger through our hallway. Our modern art swims towards me. I weave my way through it.

‘Saffron,’ I shout. ‘I’m home.’

Fingers to your lips, ‘Shush,’ you whisper as you tiptoe through the hallway, dressed in your silk negligee. ‘I need a little peace. I’ve just put the boys to bed.’

You take me in your arms, the scent of your favourite perfume, Juliette Has A Gun, engulfing us. Your body feels warm and comforting. You kiss me, and make me feel like a teenager again. You pull away.

‘How did the trip to the solicitors go?’ you ask.

‘Let’s get a bottle of wine, and I’ll tell you.’

Sitting in the drawing room, I sip white wine with my arm around you. ‘Well, was the will what you expected?’ you push.

‘No.’ I pause. ‘Well almost.’

You look at me quizzically. ‘Come on. Tell me. Explain.’

‘Aiden and I only get the first £100,000 to begin with. We have to wait six months for the rest.’

‘Why?’