"We're not at war."

"Feels a bit like it," Aurora laughs. "Truth is we've all been caught off guard by this..." she struggles for the word, "scandal. But it doesn't have to change anything. You don't want to know mum, though I know she wants to know you. Mum and I aren't really talking, so you don't need to worry that anything you say to me will get back to her."

She takes a breath before continuing.

"And as for everything else, we were well on our way to being friends ...