The whisky I drank burnt my throat. We didn’t make love. We fucked in the solid darkness. Really fucked. Simple. Hard. Relentless. No give or take, just greed and anger. An impulse. A moment. No strings. Nothing complicated. And that is what it is like with us. Two passing ships in the night, enjoying ourselves. No complexity. No fuss.

Today he’s standing at the front gate of Wellbeck House, smoking a roll-up. Just nicotine today I think, not cannabis.

‘Wotcha, Hale,’ he says, as he leans to kiss me.

He stinks. His scent today is nicotine and alcohol, with a faint tinge of motor oil. We walk along the road together, towards the pub. He puts his arm around me and holds me close.

‘How’s work?’ I ask, pulling away from him and walking at the edge of the pavement.

‘Same as ever. MOTs. Changing brake pads. Replacing catalytic converters. Sensors. Spark plugs.’ He sniffs. ‘It’s quite boring, you know.’ He wipes his nose with the back of his hand.

‘Why don’t you train for something else, get another job?’ I ask.

‘Well I’m used to it now. And the mates I work with are quite a laugh.’ There is a pause. ‘What’s it like working with nobs?’ he asks.

‘Nobs?’

‘You know, the rich and the posh.’

‘I’m enjoying it actually.’

‘Aren’t Saffron and Miles Jackson intellectual tossers?’

‘I like them. What makes you say that?’

‘I looked them up on the internet. She’s a lawyer, isn’t she? Lawyer-come-punk-rocker from the way she dresses. Looks pretty fit to me. It’s him that I’m not sure about. He’s on YouTube. Done a TED talk. The talk’s crap. It’s philosophy. I think philosophy is a load of shit.’

‘What a thought-provoking comment. I expect they’ll invite you to do one next.’

‘Come on, Hale, don’t be sarcastic. You know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.’

18

Saffron

I’m sitting in Boisdale’s, opposite Aiden, Caprice’s words racing in my head.

Miles was always infatuated by Julie. It broke his heart when she ran off with Aiden.

Julie.

And Julie is so attractive with her shiny chestnut hair, cascading across her shoulders. Her melting chocolate-drop eyes, neat little nose and perfect smile. Clever. Interesting. Funny. One of those people who you are never sure what they are going to say next; whose company is stimulating. I have always liked her. Miles and I usually like the same people. Caprice is the only person we argue about. So the fact that I have always liked Julie is worrying.

‘You wanted to see me,’ Aiden says, sipping his Bourgogne Aligoté. ‘You sounded concerned on the phone.’

‘I want to know your version of what happened between Miles and Julie.’

Aiden leans back in his chair, lips toying with a smile.

19

Aiden