Aware that Luke’s relocation to the other side of the table had been at least partly strategic, as he was now discussing his future career hopes with Alison in a low murmur, I realised, with a crushing sense of defeat, that there was no alternative but to talk to Cameron.

I glanced again at the clock above the bar and then down at the drink that he had just bought for himself: half a pint of beer. That was good. He clearly didn’t intend to hang around for too much longer.

Picking up and drinking my wine as a delaying tactic, I racked my brains for any topic of conversation which wouldn’t make me want to chuck it all over him and ruin Ruby’s evening.

It wasn’t easy. I quickly dismissed as too emotive any reference to Ruby’s departure, or to how he was settling into the office, and I certainly didn’t want to delve into his dodgy private life. But just as I felt my face beginning to break out in a soft sheen of social panic, he took the initiative.

‘How’s the substation going?’ he asked, focusing determinedly on his beer. ‘All plain sailing?’

I looked at Ruby, who widened her eyes at me over the top of her cocktail, as Roger turned the topic to the structural underpinning of Bath. I couldn’t tell whether she was indicating boredom or attempting to signal a note of caution regarding Cameron, but I offered her what I hoped was a simultaneously sympathetic and reassuring smile and then turned to Cameron and said, ‘The project has been trouble-free in terms of client relations. They’ve been enthusiastic about everything so far, but it’s early days. As far as the build goes, it’s the existing structure that’s the challenge: new windows, lowered windows… We’re digging down and going up as well, but obviously we want to keep it all as true to the art deco original as possible.’

He nodded. ‘Maybe you could talk me through the plans at some point. When you’re not so busy.’

I stiffened at the suggestion and offered a non-committal, ‘Mm,’ before adding, ‘So what are you working on? Got your teeth into anything yet?’

‘Two pitches last week and we just heard this afternoon that we got at least one of them,’ he said, picking up his drink and saluting me with it.

I managed a smile, despite my irritation at his use of we, a pronoun which he no doubt thought wonderfully team-spirited and inclusive, but which for me was just another reminder that, professionally at least, I was currently bracketed with an aggressively entitled chauvinist.

‘OK,’ I said neutrally.