‘Just listen to yourself, darling.’ Olivia handed Bella a wineglass filled almost to the brim, and Bella took an enormous swig. ‘Oh, God, I think I probably indoctrinated you too well when you were little.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Oh, Belles.’ Olivia shook her head sadly. ‘I know I used to say that all men were bastards, because I was so jolly well hurt by your father’s behaviour …’

‘See? That’s exactly what I mean …’

‘Try not to interrupt, darling, it’s terribly bad manners.’

‘Sorry, Mum.’

‘But that was years ago, and I’ve come to accept that that’s the way he is. I think that some men are simply incapable of being faithful to one woman – I’m afraid that Mark’s one of them too. The thing is to find one who’s a keeper. And you and I are lucky enough, now, that we’ve done so.’

‘How can you be so sure, though, Mummy? I mean, I think you’re right about Bernie, but how do I know that Andy’s never going to fuck around on me? He’s been working late so often recently that he could easily be shagging someone in his office …’

Witnessing Sam’s devastation, just over a week ago now, had burst something of Bella’s bubble of joy with Andy. It had brought back all those feelings of pain and suspicion she had felt after the Ben debacle; in fact the distrust of men that she’d had her entire life, really, after observing her father’s behaviour over the years.

Olivia hooted with laughter.

‘Andy? Having an affair? Now you really are being ridiculous. He’s absolutely devoted to you, and you really need to start appreciating what you’ve got.’

Bella gave her mother a rueful smile. ‘I am being silly, aren’t I?’

‘Yes, you are. And, for the sake of a harmonious lunch, I’d like you to go outside and make it up with Mark …’

‘Bu—’

‘I told you, darling, don’t interrupt. Mark is a far older friend of yours than Sam is; he hasn’t cheated on you; and however sorry you feel for the girl, it’s not your position to judge his behaviour.’

‘Oh, all right then,’ said Bella sulkily, draining her glass in one gulp and reaching for the open bottle on the table in front of them to top it up again.

‘And awful though I know Sam must be feeling now, she’s very young, and very pretty. I can’t imagine she’ll be devastated for too long. What she needs is a nice boy of her own age, not a 30-something lothario who gallivants around the fleshpots of Saint-Tropez with your father. Really, it was a disaster waiting to happen.’

Bella laughed.

‘Put like that, you’re right, Mum. You always are. OK, I’ll go outside and make my peace with the buffoon, if I must.’

‘You do that, darling. But hurry right back – this lunch isn’t going to cook itself, you know.’

‘All well?’ Olivia looked up from the potatoes she was peeling as Bella re-entered the kitchen five minutes later.