I took a deep breath and realised that I was all right. In fact, it felt good to have told Clio. If this was going to be a proper friendship like I hoped, then it was important to have all my cards on the table from the very beginning. After all, I had nothing to be ashamed of – well, apart from that one thing with Craig. Apart from that I’d done nothing wrong, and I didn’t have to tell her about the Craig thing.

‘So that’s my life in a nutshell,’ I said chirpily to lift the melancholy mood. ‘Things are good for me right now, and I’m glad you can see that, Clio, but don’t be thinking that my life’s always been like this. I’ve had to work bloody hard to get here.’

Clio’s eyes were full of tears again.

‘And you can give over with the waterworks,’ I said. ‘I’m not a bloody charity case, you know!’

Clio shook her head and smiled warmly. ‘You are such a special person, Leah,’ she said, wiping her tears away yet again. ‘You’ve worked so hard for what you have. And it shows, you know, that determination of yours. It shines out of you like a beacon.’

‘Don’t be daft,’ I said.

I had no idea what Clio was talking about. I was just doing the best I could and always looking for the bright side if there was one to be found, just like anyone would. Except maybe it wasn’t really like anyone would. Maybe I had done well to get where I was.

‘That’s why I envy you,’ she explained. ‘Look at me. Privileged, silver spoon, the whole kit and caboodle. I’ve never had to work for anything in my entire life. It has all just been handed straight to me. There’s been no struggling or worrying or wondering how I’ll pay a bill. I am so lucky. I know that.’

What did she want me to say? As far as I could see that was all true. I just shrugged.

‘But it’s all so empty and pointless,’ she continued. ‘If I fell off the planet tomorrow, almost no one would notice.’

I opened my mouth to protest but she raised her hand to silence me. ‘And there’s no sign of anything improving, either. When Mummy dies, Hector will inherit the title and I will either have to hang around with him playing lord of the manor, or I’ll move out. And then what? I can’t imagine living on my own. What would I do all day? I don’t even have any proper friends, not ones who like me for me, anyway. They’re only interested in things that I don’t care about – clothes and shoes and who has which new car. I get on better with Marlon than I do with most of my so-called friends.’