‘That’s very true,’ nodded Roger. ‘Although there’s some as might say that’s a fool’s trait.’

Alison frowned.

‘But not me,’ he added, supping his pint.

‘Nice catch, Rog,’ said Luke, winking. ‘Think you got away with it.’

I laughed and rested my head against the top of Ruby’s. ‘You’re going to have to sit up if I’m to get another round in.’

Roger rose to his feet. ‘I’m getting these. You get the next lot, Edie. Same again, everybody?’

Alison held up her gin and tonic. ‘Thank you, but I’ve barely touched mine, Roger.’

‘No problem,’ he said, edging his way from behind the table. ‘I’ll just get you a shot of gin. Have a gulp to make room for it in your glass. Luke? Apple juice for you again?’

Luke raised his glass. ‘Cheers.’

‘House white for you, Edie?’ Roger pointed at my glass. ‘No point in wasting money on fancy fluids when they all taste the same, is there? And what was that concoction you had, Ruby?’

I felt Ruby shrug against me. ‘Dunno. I just picked the most expensive one.’

Roger’s eyebrows twitched in mild horror. ‘Well, let’s try something else this time, as I’m not sure that kind of cocktail agrees with you.’

‘Or with Roger’s wallet,’ murmured Luke.

Roger said nothing but delivered a light cuff to the back of Luke’s head as he passed, which prompted a number of hair-related protests from Luke, and a decision to retire to the loo to fix the damage.

Alison too, rose from her seat. ‘I’ll go and help him with those drinks and hopefully persuade him against buying that gin for me,’ she said, walking away.

I watched her go. ‘They’re a nice bunch.’

Ruby heaved a sigh and sat up. ‘I know,’ she said, a little sleepily. ‘Just a shame about Ca—’

She stopped abruptly, making a valiant attempt to censor her own negativity, despite an obvious blurring of brain function.

‘About…?’ I raised my eyebrows questioningly.

‘Just a shame about the evening going so fast,’ she said.

My initial thought was that the real shame was that Luke wasn’t around to congratulate Ruby on the nice catch, but I just smiled and let her brave, but hopelessly inadequate, attempt at a cover-up go.

‘Yes, but the good news,’ I said, gesturing towards Roger, who was at that moment looking appalled as the barman placed a sparkler in Ruby’s next cocktail and held a lighter to it, ‘is that it’s not over yet.’

Chapter 8

‘Giles?’

Giles and I turned towards the small voice to see Harry standing on the road next to the open rear doors of the rental van, hired to transport my possessions from Harbourside to Henleaze. He was wearing a red and gold bodice and knee-length blue swim-shorts, over a black T-shirt and jeans. In his left hand, he carried a skipping rope.