At a workshop organised by JS, and attended by many of my friends (including JM), AC proposed to MSB. To everyone’s complete surprise, she accepted.

The next morning at breakfast AC refused his usual steaming cup of coffee for a pot of lukewarm herbal tea. It was as if drinking the pale purple liquid was a way of paying penance for his hastiness in inviting MSB to be his bride. He confessed that he didn’t want to marry her after all.

I volunteered to track down MSB to pass on the news. I suspected that she would be found at the Virgin Active gym at Edinburgh’s Omni Centre. I waited for her in reception. The gym staff regarded me with suspicion. Had I come to spy on their paperwork?

MSB emerged from her work-out and followed me out on to the street. As we walked along Queen Street (and before I had summoned up the courage to break AC’s bad news) MSB revealed that she deeply regretted agreeing to become AC’s wife. This made my job much easier. It was entirely sensible that the wedding now be called off, especially given that MSB was already married.