‘Well, I’m not one for saying fussy stuff,’ he said, beginning his speech with an absolutely incontrovertible statement, his focus fixed determinedly on the surface of the conference table, ‘but I will say that working here for the past fifteen years has been a pleasure and a privilege. Not only have I worked with a great many talented architects – none more so than the present company – I have also had the good fortune to net a woman who, in my opinion, is almost without fault.’ There was a catch in his voice and, as he sat down, Cameron immediately rose to his feet.

‘To Roger and his retirement. May it be a long and happy one,’ he said.

‘To Roger,’ we echoed, standing up and raising our glasses, before we all, instinctively and without instruction, returned to our desks.

It was a couple of minutes after five when Alison and Roger left the office, bidding goodnight to Luke, Cameron and myself, as if it was any other working day.

I waited until I was sure that they had taken the lift, before standing up and walking to Luke’s desk.

‘Did you know?’ I asked quietly, as he picked up his bags and prepared to leave.

‘About Roger and Alison?’ he queried, with a surprising lack of drama.

‘Yes.’

‘She’s never said anything,’ he shrugged. ‘But I’d been pretty sure for a while now that there was someone, and I had a hunch it might be him. He never liked to talk about what he was up to outside work, and then there was the body language between them, and her reliance on his advice, that kind of thing…’

I frowned. ‘I didn’t have a clue.’

‘Surprised face,’ he said, looking bored.

I laughed and he joined in. ‘Nothing gets past me,’ he winked, picking up his bag and sidestepping from behind his desk. ‘But to be fair to you, Alison was never one for bringing her personal life to work with her, was she?’

‘Best piece of advice she ever – repeatedly – gave me was to keep the personal and the professional completely separate,’ I replied, keeping my eyes determinedly fixed on Luke, and refusing to give in to an urge to look at Cameron.

‘Not always an easy thing to do though, Edie,’ he said, smiling significantly.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well,’ he said, lowering his voice, ‘just ask Vincent.’

‘Vincent Lovelock? Ruby’s boss?’

He nodded slowly, enjoying the moment.

‘Why? What’s happened?’ I asked, despite already being pretty sure that I had at least some idea.

‘Divorcing,’ he mouthed.

‘Oh no.’

‘Oh yes. Jenny, his PA, told me this afternoon, along with the fact that…’ He paused and glanced across the office to Cameron, who was currently engrossed in something onscreen. ‘Ruby,’ Luke mouthed the name soundlessly, ‘has left the practice.’

‘No…’

‘Yes again. She’s gone to Ireland.’