I caught up with HJ just as she was leaving the party. Looking rather bedraggled in a long, bright red, lace dress, she complained that there were too few people there for it to be any fun. I agreed, and suggested that she might like to join the others who were heading off by car to some posh reception in Silicon Valley. I regretted that I couldn’t go with them, but TPR couldn’t bear the thought of thought of returning to his “old” life in California.

HJ liked this idea, but was sorry that I would not accompany her. To emphasise that my decision was nothing to do with her I mentioned the three “I love you” button badges that I had recently sent her by post. She now looked at me suspiciously, evidently considering the meaning of my gift. Was this a declaration of true love?

She quickly changed the subject and related her plans to return to “school” (Cardiff University), complete a Masters degree in law, and train to be a barrister. She reckoned that she would be at the bar by the time she was 62. Given that she also admitted to having just consumed an entire bottle of red wine, I could not be sure of the truth of her voiced ambitions.