To one side of the house was a converted stable, in which Bethany’s old man had built his own bar, and added a games room with a full-sized snooker table, and a gym. There was an indoor swimming pool; Abs had even used it. Bethany may not like him much, but her parents were keen to show off their son-in-law’s celebrity mate to their friends. Behind the house and the stable building was a long, neat lawn, and beyond that a dense wood.

Jez spun the wheels on the gravel, making stones spurt and clack against all the cars parked there, as he pulled up in front of the house.

Bethany tutted. ‘You’ve left a tyre mark on the drive.’

She climbed out quickly, slamming the passenger door, and walked to the house, but Jez killed the engine and ran after her.

‘Beth, a word. And you too, Abs.’

‘Yeah, mate?’ Abs and Bethany could barely look each other in the eye as Jez brought them together. The reception room on the other side of the window was full of guests.

‘This is meant to be a happy afternoon,’ Jez told them both. ‘And I won’t have it spoiled by a sour atmosphere. You’re the two most important people in my life and the last thing I want is for there to be any bad blood between you.’ Bethany gazed at the gravel. ‘I mean it, Beth, or I’m going to get back in the car and drive back home right this minute.’

It wasn’t often that Abs heard Jez raise his voice to Bethany – he was usually a doting and courteous husband – but she must have known she’d gone too far because she offered a limp hand. ‘No hard feelings, Abs.’

Abs didn’t understand what Bethany had to be annoyed about – she was the one who had thrown him to the lions – but he was ready to let bygones be bygones if that’s what Jez wanted.

‘Same here.’ He shook her hand. ‘Your fingers are cold.’

‘I have bad circulation,’ she told him.

‘Come here,’ he said, and although she didn’t whole-heartedly respond, she at least tolerated his hug. In Abs’s mind, there wasn’t a problem in the world that couldn’t be solved by a cuddle.

It cleared the air a little bit, and Abs felt better as they knocked on the front door, Jez giving him a discreet pat on the back, as if to say, Thanks, mate. And everything was instantly forgotten when they went inside. The reception was all panelled walls and oak flooring and antique furniture, similar to the way Bethany had decorated her own home. There was a comfortable-looking velvet armchair in one corner, a grandfather clock, even a chandelier. Abs had stayed in hotels that weren’t as plush as this.