‘I’ll decide for myself whether I’m being used or not. I don’t think it’s that simple. I don’t know why you are so annoyed.’

‘I’m not annoyed. Except you lied to me about it. So I am annoyed about that. It makes me realise you’re not honest with me.’

‘I thought you’d prefer not to know. I thought I was being tasteful.’

‘There was a more tasteful option available to you,’ she said, opening the newspaper again. After a minute of staring at the page she got up, told me she was going to make a call and walked down to the rear of the train.

I reread the article on my phone, thought about ringing Sophie, but I wasn’t as annoyed with her as I was with Emily.

When Emily returned, she asked me, ‘Is that really what people think of me? That I’ve sold what remains of my youth to Andrew for the privilege of living somewhere nice?’

‘Not even Sophie said that. And I don’t think his money is what you’re most attracted to.’

‘It’s not.’

‘It wouldn’t even matter if it were. People are always falling in love with what is convenient to them. The age gap just makes it starker in your case.’

‘I’m not with him because of fucking convenience.’

‘I know.’

She looked at me, waiting for me to say something else.

‘I like Andrew too,’ I said.

‘Do you, really?’ she said.

‘Yeah, he’s been decent to me. He’s decided he should put me on the right track. I could take offence at how easily he’s concluded that I’m on the wrong track, but, well…’

‘I can see how his manner might rub you up the wrong way,’ said Emily. ‘But he’s trying to be helpful, and wouldn’t you rather have a conversation with someone challenging than one of these bland idiots?’ She threw the paper she’d been reading down on the seat beside her. ‘He’s by far the most intelligent man I know.’

I wasn’t going to argue that point. We didn’t talk for the rest of the journey.

*

We went to the same pub when we got back to town. I wasn’t in the mood to cook. We didn’t eat anyway. We drank.

‘There’s Wozza,’ said Emily.

‘You’re going to know the whole pub after a couple of weeks here without me,’ I said.

And there was Joanne too, waving at me from the other side of the bar. I waved back, and she looked at Emily and raised her eyebrows. Emily took a seat and I went to say hi to Joanne on the way to the bar.

‘Is that your girlfriend?’ she asked, and I told her we were just friends. ‘She’s beautiful,’ she said, and I said, ‘Oh, she’s all right. You look great yourself.’