A soft feminine glow infused the room and, ever the seducer, Mitch turned on some romantic music which matched our mood. The world could have ended then and there and we wouldn’t have noticed. For a brief moment, there was only the two of us. It was a moment that no one could ever take away, that perfect climax.

Life teases with the possibility of happy endings. We both knew tonight was the culmination of years of waiting, wondering. The future no longer mattered. That would come in good time.

‘What did Oliver tell you happened between us?’

The strength provided by your warm body gave me courage. The music had stopped and the pink glow had faded. There was one picture on the wall; a Tuscan villa surrounded by sunflowers and Leylandii. In the half-light the image was surreal, a far-off paradise drowning in a sea of faded gold.

‘He said you disappeared off to Australia, to find yourself. I didn’t push for details. I was glad you hadn’t settled with him.’ You leant back against the dark wooden headboard and scrunched the pillows up behind your head. I held my breath.

‘He kept in touch, eventually announcing he was getting married. I had no idea what he did to you. By the time he said it was safe to come back, I’d decided to stay on in Italy and travel. I took odd jobs at first but eventually settled in a small school in Arezzo teaching English and cricket to teenagers.’

‘Amber?’ I tugged the duvet around my chest, pulling my knees up hard.

‘She was heartbroken when I moved out. It was very difficult to get away. She phoned incessantly, visited me in Arezzo, and started to self-harm. At first I felt guilty, that I owed her something. I took time to end it which was probably a mistake. Eventually she seemed to get the message. I don’t know when she came back to England.’

You pulled me down again, uncurling my locked fingers from the duvet. They were white from gripping.

‘Rebecca, there was never anyone else. We were young when I left and perhaps I hadn’t been ready to settle down. I love you.’

There was a scraping sound outside in the corridor and a faint mewing noise as something scuttled past.

‘It’s only the cat.’ You smiled. ‘Bowser. It lives upstairs.’

I saw you in the distance. You were in a small rowing boat, waving at me. The sun was strong and I tried to cool down by taking off more and more layers of clothing. A larger boat appeared, out of nowhere, behind you. As you wobbled from side to side, gripping the oars against the wash, I saw a man on deck looking through binoculars. They were pointed in your direction. You kept waving, frantically, in my direction.