I was aware of Cameron standing to his right, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. Instead, I watched as Giles turned to him and spoke. ‘I’m so sorry, Ronald, I don’t quite know…’

‘His name’s not Ronald,’ I said, lowering my eyes and addressing Giles’s brogues.

‘Kerry, we should go,’ said Cameron, his voice low and steady.

‘Jesus, Ron,’ she exclaimed. ‘Tell me she is not the woman at work?’ She sounded incredulous. I was grateful for that, at least.

‘One moment,’ said Giles. ‘Edie, you mean you work with Ronald? Surely, he’s not the colleague who…’

‘His name isn’t Ronald, Giles,’ I repeated firmly, now looking up.

‘Let’s go,’ said Cameron.

‘No,’ said Kerry flatly. ‘I’m not going anywhere. I want to know why she’s being a cow to you. Why are you being a cow to him?’ she asked, turning to me.

‘Your name isn’t Ronald?’ said Giles, looking at Cameron. ‘Is it simply Ron on your birth certificate?’

I turned to Kerry. ‘I’m sorry, but he’s clearly a very different person in the workplace,’ I said, battling the effects of alcohol, shock and emotion to keep my voice calm.

Her upper lip curled, revealing even, white teeth. ‘No one else has ever said that about him.’

‘That doesn’t make it not true,’ I replied, aware of my heart rate increasing.

‘Now, don’t get angry, Edie,’ said Giles. ‘I think Ronald, Ron, is right. We should probably all leave at this point.’

‘I’m not going to be chased away from a fun party by this bully,’ I said, jabbing a forefinger in Cameron’s direction. ‘He can leave. I’m going nowhere,’ I added, folding my arms.

‘But I thought you wanted to leave,’ said Giles, somewhat desperately.

‘Ron a bully? That’s rich, coming from you. And why should he leave?’ growled Kerry. ‘Or isn’t it enough that you make his working life a misery? Do you have to piss all over his social life too?’

‘Kerry,’ said Cameron quietly, ‘this isn’t helping.’

‘Yes, Kerry,’ said Giles gently, ‘please don’t rush to judgement. I’ve known Edie an awfully long time and I can vouch for the fact that she is—’

‘I couldn’t give a flying f—,’ she began, before stopping short. She took a breath and, blinking up at Giles, began again. ‘I don’t care how long you’ve known her, Giles,’ she said, now sounding emotional as well as angry. ‘I’ve known Cameron a long time too, and Mark knew him for decades. He loved him to bits and so do I.’