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‘Well, it was my childhood home.’

‘What?’

‘My childhood home!’ I yelled. ‘It's my brother's now, he farms it. He's married to Caro, she's my sister-in-law.’

This was too much for Alice at this time of night, with the amount she'd shifted. She tried gamely to make sense of it. ‘Caro is married…’ she yelled, ‘to a farmer?’

‘That's it,’ I shouted back, feeling weary. ‘My brother, Tim.’

‘Is he a farmer too?’

I remembered why I hated these stand-up-and-shout parties. ‘Yes, he is.’

‘Oh. And you're married to him?’

‘No, Caro is.’

‘So you're both married to farmers?’

I began to lose the will to live. Ludo's sleeve had been plucked and he'd half turned away to listen politely, head down, to what a tall redhead in a green halter-neck dress had to say in his ear. A very beautiful tall redhead.

‘Can I just say,’ Alice had found my ear too and was hissing into it in a slurred fashion, ‘how thrilled we all are. Mummy and Daddy. Ed and me.’ She rocked back on her heels, chin disappearing into her neck, missive delivered.

‘Thrilled?’

‘Yes, since Ludo's met you – he's a different person. You've no idea!’ She flung her arms wide, champagne flying again. ‘Oops – sorry!’ This to a drenched back.

‘Oh, no,’ I shouted above the din. ‘You've got this wrong. I'm married!’

‘Yes, I know, and he knows there's no chance, knows you're happily married, it's just – well, he never thought, after Estelle, he was capable of feeling anything, ever again. Thought he'd sort of fossilized. The fact that he can, even if it's not to be, is just a miracle.’ She swayed and spilled champagne on my bosom again. I looked like I was lactating. ‘Angus and I are going to be like that.’ A faraway look came into her eye. ‘Really, really happy.’ Then she frowned, concentrating, realizing she'd lost her thread. ‘It's been ages, you see, since Estelle died – over three years. The fact that he can feel, even if it's you, and even if you're married, is just fantastic!’ Bug-eyed at the magnitude of this, she lurched, suddenly, to grab a passing waiter, refilling her glass when he wasn't quick enough on the draw with the bottle himself. Ludo was well out of hearing range now and I wanted to get to the bottom of this.

‘Are you sure you've not exaggerating?’ I shouted. ‘I've met him about three times. I smashed up his car. Twice!’

She nodded. Lurched backwards. Someone steadied her elbow with an indulgent smile. ‘That's right,’ she yelled. ‘He met Estelle when she reversed into him in Sainsbury's in the Cromwell Road. That's what's so spooky. And she was engaged to someone else. He'd married her within three weeks!’

I stared at her. Felt my Shetland wool jumper tighten around my throat. Felt it knit itself a few more rows. She shrugged helplessly, throwing up her arms for dramatic emphasis. More champagne flew through the air. ‘That's Ludo for you! Take it from me, he's got you firmly in his sights. This is no idle crush! Oh, s'cuse me. Clemmie!’ she shrieked as a girl in a tiny white dress and a bottled tan fell through the door, clutching a bottle. ‘Where've you been?’ They laughed hysterically and fell on each other's necks. I hastily downed my drink. Shit. I must go. Three weeks. I must go now. Three weeks.

I began to thread my way towards the door, around Alice and the girl in white, towards freedom. I glanced over my shoulder. Ludo's back was still to me, talking to the redhead: tall, broad, but diminishing. I'd just slip away. He wouldn't notice for ages, and I could say—

‘Evie!’ I jumped out of my skin. Felicity had my arm. She followed my gaze.

‘Rather gorgeous, I agree,’ she yelled. ‘Half these young girls are lusting after him.’

That hadn't escaped my notice. As we'd walked in, quite a lot of eyes had darted our way: hair had been flicked back, and skirts hitched up or down, depending on the state of the legs.

‘Felicity. What are you doing here?’

‘You mean at my age?’ She laughed. ‘I used to teach Alice, and she rather sweetly invited me. But I won't be staying.’ She made a face. ‘Not