There’s hardly anyone here. A few mothers pushing buggies. A couple wearing office clothing, holding hands surreptitiously. I run around the lake. The Serpentine sparkles in the fresh late October sunshine. A kaleidoscope of burnished colour surrounds me, interspersed with soft green waterfalls of cascading willow.

Breathe. Breathe. Push through the pain. My worries float in the air and dissipate. Miles has forgiven me. Julie has forgiven me. And I’ll get new clients. It’s only a delay in cash flow, I tell myself. The loan will come in.

A stitch piercing my right side, I stop by a bench at the top of the Serpentine. I flop down on it, next to a wizened old man wearing a tweed peaked cap. He is reading a newspaper, and doesn’t look up. The silent solemnity of City life.

I catch my breath and set off again along the north side of the Serpentine towards the Bayswater Road. Another circuit of the lake, then back towards Belgravia. Mind now comfortably numb, I warm down by walking slowly back towards the office. I’m hungry. I skipped breakfast, so I step into Tom Tom’s coffee bar to buy some falafel.

A man with a wide-brimmed hat is sitting in the corner, drinking coffee. His face is swollen and bruised, as if he has been in a fight. He looks familiar. I double take – it’s Aiden.

‘What are you doing here?’ I snap. ‘Why are you on my patch?’

‘I need to talk to you. I know you often come here for lunch. I was prepared to wait all day in the hope of catching you. Please sit down, I only want to apologise,’ he says, gesticulating towards the chair opposite him.

Reluctantly, I join him at the table. He smiles a slow smile, wincing in pain as he rearranges his bruising.

‘I told you on the phone. There’s nothing to discuss.’

He leans forwards. ‘Look, I’m so very sorry, Saffron. I have real feelings for you, but I have been selfish and allowed those feelings to cloud my judgement.’

I shake my head. ‘You’ve got to stop this, Aiden. You know I love Miles. I will never be with you.’

‘Not even if you were a widow?’

My body jolts. Has he been imagining Miles’ demise?

‘Not in a million years. Even if we were the last two people on the planet,’ I reply coldly.

‘That’s pretty insulting.’

‘I need to make it clear.’ I pause. ‘And you need to apologise. You need to make things right with Miles.’

42

Aiden

I ring the doorbell. Miles answers it in his dressing gown and slippers.

‘What do you want?’ He glowers.

I swallow and take a deep breath. ‘To explain.’

‘Come in.’

I step into the hallway. He stands opposite me, face stiff, arms folded. ‘Go on then.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Is that all you’ve got to say?’ he spits.