Every time Des shot her that proud little look Melissa just gave him back a patented wifely one that said 'Yes, dear, I know. Now eat your lasagne.' It was a very complementary combination, and Melissa was still wearing the smile from it when Stephanie spoke up.

She'd noticed too. The sudden fear on Stephanie's face when she'd joked about not recognising her. The relief. The anxiety. The tension in her body when she'd hugged her.

"Oh dear," Melissa said, peering closely at Stephanie. "Desmond, I think it's exactly the kind of 'it's news' I told my parents when you proposed to me. The sort where parental dislike is imminent. And if I recall, I came out with it before dinner, which meant that dinner didn't get eaten until nine o'clock."

The real question was whether they could eat any of it at all with that hanging over their heads. "How hungry are you, dear?"