ON the morning of her twenty-ninth birthday, Emily was surprised to find downstairs a shiny red bicycle adorned with a comically large bow. Upright, with a leather seat and whitewall tyres, it was beautiful. Though she hadn’t cycled since childhood, she was instantly smitten. The jealous and possessive type, Darren soon regretted his gift. At first Emily just tootled around to the shops, ringing her bell joyously as she left home. Before long, however, she started embarking on lingering day trips. To Darren, her parting bell became a taunt, to say nothing of her saddle soreness the following day.