TPR was clearly not pleased with the guest list for our very last minute house warming party. I argued that very few people were available, hence the rather strange assembly of friends. This ranged from a bloke that I met once at the Edinburgh Coffee Morning to TF, an old friend from University normally resident in France.

The unpredictable weather, which included a violent lightening storm, was perhaps a portend of the terrible news that X relayed to me and TPR during the celebrations in the kitchen. He was the victim of an elaborate con trick that had been played out over the past 18 months. TPR and I were appalled. We thought that we knew and trusted the main protagonist. We were so wrong.

My sister S and pal A eavesdropped the sorry tale from their hidey-hole in the dishwasher.