‘Don’t,’ Mia said. ‘You mustn’t start making excuses for him. He is that bad and he’s doing it because of who you are.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You know he wouldn’t treat any of the male account directors the way he does me. He can barely look at me. Of course he knows he needs to do as I ask—’ Mia broke off and waved a hand. ‘But I still notice it.’

‘Yeah, maybe you’re right.’

‘I am,’ Mia said definitely. ‘I am right. And I promise you we’re going to be in this together.’ She squeezed Sarah’s arm. ‘If you want, I can talk to Harry on Monday morning.’

‘Oh, I don’t know.’

No, Mia thought, and your boyfriend will probably talk you out of that over the weekend anyway. ‘Well, it’s just a thought,’ she said as her mobile beeped with a text. She pulled it out of her pocket and glanced at the screen. Her mum, asking her to pick up some food on her way home. Mia sighed. She’d agreed to go for drinks at the pub after work. It was Friday evening and the thought of heading straight home was unbearable. Especially when they had no plans for the weekend. The idea of having a few gin and tonics more than she should was the one thing Mia was looking forward to.

‘I better get back to work,’ she sighed and stood up, opening the door. The text made her feel an inordinate amount of annoyance that she had nothing exciting ahead of her, and Sarah’s reluctance to address what was happening in the company was another irritation.

Henrietta James was already at the bar when Mia walked in. ‘I insist on getting this,’ Mia told her. There were too many times when Henrietta already had a card proffered to the bartender by the time Mia reached for her purse, but it was beginning to get awkward. Her salary was higher than that of any of the other staff members who were gathered in a huddle in the corner of the pub, and yet she’d never be able to explain to them that she couldn’t afford to get them drinks.

‘I’m only staying for this one,’ Mia said as Henrietta turned back to her conversation with Bryony, and Mia already wondered how easily she would be swayed. The food on her mum’s shopping list was bought and stashed in the boot of her car. She just needed to remember to swing past the car on her way home, if she did end up calling a taxi.

As she waited for the barman, Bryony’s voice drifted along the bar.

‘… trying to do it all. Have you seen the way she’s thrown herself back into work this week?’

‘Who are you talking about?’ Mia asked.