When Sharon woke the next morning, Bryan was gone and she might almost have thought that she had dreamt the night before except that as she sat up in the bed, she saw a note a note lying on the pillow next to her and recognized his bold and distinctive handwriting.

The message was brief, almost curt. 'Breakfast downstairs at seven forty five. B'.

That was all it said. He hadn't even said good morning nor even signed with his name, just with an impersonal initial.

There was no indication whatoever of the intimacy they had shared the previous night.

She ran a fingerprint over the writing,as though she were...