‘I just wouldn’t trust someone like that, you’ll only end up disappointed. You need someone cut from the same cloth as you, someone who knows what life’s about.’

‘I thought you’d be all for me marrying him then divorcing him and getting that fifty grand back?’ Minnie said with a smile.

Her mother’s mouth twitched in amusement. ‘You don’t need someone else’s money love, you’ll be all right.’

New Year’s Eve 2010

Twenty-nine pounds for sea bream on a bed of samphire and wild rice; twenty-nine pounds! Quinn did some quick mental arithmetic; if they had three courses and the cheapest wine on the menu, this was still going to set him back a hundred and fifty quid. The restaurant was on the top floor of a hotel. Outside he could see the huge expanse of Hyde Park, beautifully illuminated by moonlight and round pools of light from the street lamps, which lined its long wide avenues. The Serpentine looked like a black mirror, still and glassy. The whole park glowed with a pink aura bleeding from the city lights, cocooning it in dark tranquillity. At midnight they’d be able to see firework displays all over London.

When Quinn had reserved the table one month in advance, he’d been on hold for an hour. Now he saw the prices on the menu he knew he’d overstretched himself trying to impress Polly. He closed the menu sharply. There was no point worrying about the bill now; she would love it, that was all that mattered.

‘Quinn, the bathroom is bigger than my flat,’ said Polly in hushed excitement as she returned to the table. ‘We could set up a dance floor in there later.’ She giggled, picking up the napkin from her chair and slipping into the seat opposite.

Polly had short blonde hair and a delicate angular face. She had prominent cheekbones that gave her face a beautiful elfin quality, yet her deep blue eyes transmitted a steely intelligence.

‘Are you sure you can afford this?’ she whispered, lifting a hand to cover her mouth.

‘It’s a special occasion,’ he said. ‘I did promise we’d celebrate your university scholarship properly.’

‘Well, I feel very spoilt. I have been fantasising about this meal all month. It all looks so delicious, Quinn.’

Behind Polly, Quinn watched an older man with grey hair lean forward in his chair and squeeze the hand of the woman he was with. It was a confident, intimate gesture and he saw the woman gaze back at her partner with doe-eyed admiration. Quinn reached out to take Polly’s hand.

‘Don’t worry about it. I want you to enjoy yourself,’ he said, giving her hand a squeeze.