They were greeted at the door by both Mary and Michael, which Heather found quite charming. Was that the done thing when people had dinner parties – answering the door as a team? Heather didn’t know, but she made a mental note to try it if she and Stephen had anyone over for dinner.

‘Hello!’ Mary exclaimed. If she had any mixed feelings about meeting her old friend’s replacement, she hid it well. ‘You must be Heather. We’re so happy to meet you.’

Mary was in her late fifties, at a guess. There was no visible sign that she’d had any cosmetic work done, and she seemed to embody the idea of beauty at any age, with her shiny grey-blonde hair, tailored pants and shirt, and flat shoes. She wore minimal make-up, plain gold studs and a matching necklace. Understated. Heather felt quietly grateful that she hadn’t gone for the dress. Once again, Stephen had steered her right.

Michael greeted Heather just as kindly as Mary had, and ushered them into a beautiful dining room, complete with old-fashioned fireplace, thick embossed curtains and ornate ceiling details. The table was set with flowers and beautiful linen napery. Another couple rose to their feet as Stephen and Heather entered.

‘This is Elsa and David,’ Mary said. ‘Elsa, David, this is Heather.’

Elsa and David murmured politely, but unlike Mary and Michael, their manner was aloof. Their smiles were fleeting and they didn’t quite meet Heather’s eye when they greeted her.

‘Why don’t you sit down this end, Heather,’ Mary said. ‘Michael, can you get Heather a champagne?’

Heather had practised declining a drink all day. She’d actually googled polite ways to do it. Google, as usual, had been quite helpful and provided her with many suggestions, including saying she was on medication, that it ‘didn’t agree with her’ or that she was recovering from an illness. Heather’s favourite, which she’d decided to use tonight, was, ‘Just sparkling water for me,’ in a polite but firm voice. In none of the googled scenarios had the host just placed a drink directly in her hand, as Michael did now.

‘So, Heather,’ Mary said, sitting at the head of the table, ‘Stephen tells me you’re an interior designer. I’ll have to get you to come and look around this place. God knows it could use some modernising!’

‘If the rest is anything like what I’ve seen so far, I wouldn’t change a thing,’ Heather said.

‘That’s what she said to me,’ Stephen said, ‘right before she tore the place down to the studs.’

Everyone laughed.

For the next few minutes, conversation moved in a circular fashion with ease, everyone seeming to notice when someone hadn’t contributed and somehow looping them into the discussion without making them stand out or feel put on the spot. It was astonishing, being around such skilled conversationalists. The champagne went down very nicely and before Heather knew it, her glass had been refilled. Mary darted back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room, a tea towel draped charmingly over her shoulder.