Much to my surprise, I ate more than I thought I would and did indeed feel better. My head still felt like a melon that had been split in two, but my stomach had stopped resembling a washing machine. Well, not completely, but least it was just on the delicate cycle now rather than full spin.

I plodded back into the bathroom to get dressed into jeans and a delicately flowered blouse I’d brought with me as a change from T-shirts. Having gathered together the toiletries I’d left in the bathroom, I returned to the main room, dropped the few extra bits into my overnight bag and zipped it up.

‘Ready to go?’ Jack asked, lifting two suit carriers out of the wardrobe, one containing his tuxedo and the other my beautiful satin dress. I wasn’t sure when I would ever wear it again, but I was glad I had bought it for last night. Somewhere in the woolly space where my brain was supposed to be, a vague memory of Jack saying he loved the dress floated about. I loved the dress too, but the way he had said it had sent shivers up and down my bare spine as I’d walked away from him.

I put a hand to my head. I couldn’t think about all that right now. It hadn’t meant anything more than that he liked the dress. But I knew, especially last night, I had loved the fact that he did.

‘Tablets not helping?’ Jack asked, noticing my hand resting at my temple.

‘Just making sure it doesn’t roll away.’ I gave a wan smile that Jack accepted as explanation as he moved towards the door which he opened for me, taking my bag as I passed.

‘I can carry that.’

‘It’s fine.’

‘Thanks,’ I said, leaning back against the bar in the lift as we travelled smoothly down to the foyer.

‘I’ll drop the key off,’ I said as the doors opened and Jack indicated with a nod of his head for me to go first. I walked towards the reception desk and handed the key cards over to an unengaged member of staff with a smile before heading back to meet Jack. We’d texted the limo service about half an hour ago and thankfully the car was outside waiting. The driver took the luggage, laying the suit carriers carefully on top as Jack opened the door for me and I got in with him following me and closing the door behind him. The day was bright and beautiful, making the journey home a pleasant one, although sadly I missed most of it, as within ten minutes, I was asleep against Jack’s side, then didn’t wake until the crunching of the car’s tyres on the gravel of my driveway woke me.

‘Nice snooze?’ Jack asked, looking down to where I was still resting on him.

‘Yes, thanks,’ I said, looking up sleepily and thinking I could stay here all day for more reasons than one. I forced myself towards the door and made my exit into the fresh air, thanking the driver as he handed over the luggage to Jack, and tipping him myself, pulling the money from my jeans pocket where I’d prepared it earlier. He drove off slowly and disappeared up the drive and out of sight as I let us in the door. It seemed strange that there was no Clive to bounce up and say hello.