I waited for him to add a smile and a request that Kerry shouldn’t rush away, but instead he simply nodded his comprehension and then transferred his solemn gaze to me.

I threw him a dissatisfied look, followed by a slightly tense smile. ‘We haven’t quite finished our wine yet, Giles,’ I said, with exaggerated cheeriness, holding up my glass. ‘Why don’t you grab a drink and come and join us?’

He hesitated, looking out into the hallway, as we heard the flush of a loo.

‘I tell you what, why don’t you both come and join us?’ I pressed.

He didn’t reply.

‘Or even just come in and say a quick hello?’ I was no longer smiling and there was an obvious frustration to my tone. Was he always like this with his dates? Over protective? Not wanting anyone to even set eyes on them until he was sure?

He glanced across at Kerry, his shoulders sagging minutely as he bit his lip. It was a fleeting reaction, and one that I hoped Kerry hadn’t spotted. But as I turned, I saw her look self-consciously from Giles to her loungewear and then back at Giles, and I knew, without a doubt, that she thought he was ashamed of her.

‘Giles,’ I said, hearing the loo door open and reaffixing a smile, in order to fend off a snarl, ‘do you have Melissa with you? We’d love to say hello.’

At that, he turned to his left and beckoned. ‘Melissa, do come in and meet my cousin – my step-cousin – Edie…’ He extended an arm in my direction.

Melissa entered stage right, looking willowy and slender in a black shirtdress, patterned with small red roses. A pair of long, high-heeled black boots put her at just a couple of inches shorter than Giles. ‘Hello, Edie,’ she said.

‘…and our next-door neighbour, Kerry,’ concluded Giles quietly, swinging his arm towards her, whilst still looking at me.

‘Hello, Kerry,’ said Melissa.

‘Hello!’ Kerry and I responded in unison.

‘I’m so sorry I’m such a flipping state,’ said Kerry. ‘I’ve been decorating.’

‘Don’t worry.’ Melissa smiled kindly. ‘I was in my sculpting dungarees ten minutes before I set off to meet Giles. They redefine being in a state. I wash them about once a year.’

I welcomed her warm attempt to make Kerry feel better and I only wished that Giles, who was currently standing next to her and looking about as warm as one of her sculptures, could put in the same level of effort.

‘Can I get either of you a drink?’ I asked, standing up.

Melissa smiled. ‘Ooh, that sounds—’

‘No, no,’ said Giles quickly, holding up both hands as if fending off a mugger, ‘thank you. I think we’re… we’re just going to…’ He inclined his head towards the hallway.