‘Talking of children,’ I say, ‘what’s happening with Sophie?’

‘Nothing,’ says Jess. She gives me a look that quite clearly says ‘Stop talking’. I turn around to see that James has rejoined us. At first I can’t figure out what Jess is worried about, then I realise, shit. Shit. James works with Sophie and he probably overheard me.

‘What’s happening with Sophie?’ James repeats.

‘Just a party she’s organising for her niece. I was helping her make plans.’ Jess covers up quickly. I don’t think James even thinks about it, mind you. He’s looking at the map, brow furrowed. I lean across and show him where we are, pointing in the direction of the Pergola.

‘There’s a road in the way,’ says James.

‘Yeah, we just have to cross there and walk down a bit past the Spaniards – it’s an old pub, been there since the sixteenth century – and then we’re back on the heath again.

Jess is trailing behind, looking more at her phone than the scenery. I try and think of something to say to James, but somehow he reminds me so much of the life I left behind that I find it really weird. I hadn’t really noticed that I’d changed – I mean, I know Alice talked about it, but I still felt like the old Alex, on the whole. But here’s James, talking about someone at work who’d just bought a house in the Highlands and a trip to Goa he was planning for Christmas, and it all feels like a world I used to know, but it’s so far removed from my own life that I can hardly recognise it.

We’re distracted – thankfully – by a group of Basset Hounds that are lumbering along just in front of their owners. They flock around our legs, long tails wagging, noses sniffing in case we’ve got any spare dog treats hanging around. It breaks the ice a bit, which is just as well because this walk feels like it’s going to last a lifetime.

And then Jess’s phone rings. ‘Gen! Hi! Oh how funny, I was just thinking about you.’

James fiddles with the sleeve of his shirt, adjusting the buttons. I lean back against a wall, pushing my sunglasses up my nose so I can watch Jess without being seen. I am almost one hundred per cent certain that Gen’s call was a set-up. Jess’s tone is just a little bit too perky for it to be realistic.

Jess hangs up, sticking her phone back in the pocket of her jeans.

‘Gen’s just around the corner in the Spaniards having drinks, isn’t that amazing?’

‘Really?’ James looks surprised. ‘What’s she doing up here? This isn’t her neck of the woods, is it?’

‘Oh,’ Jess says, airily. ‘Perhaps she just fancied a change?’