Katie’s heart thudded so hard that she felt dizzy. She looked down to try and hide her burning cheeks.

‘Katie, you all right?’

‘Oh yes – course.’ She raised her head again to hear Ann’s whispers.

‘I thought I’d missed – you know, my monthly visitor was late. I mean I’ve been careful lately, making sure I keep a note, and for three days – oh, blimey.’ She sat back, her immense breasts heaving dramatically under her pale-green sweater. ‘I can’t tell you the relief. I started thinking I had all the signs . . .’

‘Well, what would they be?’ Katie asked quickly. She arranged her face in what she hoped was a relaxed expression. Ann smiled at this innocence.

‘Oh, you know, the usual things: missing your monthly, feeling tired out and everything tasting funny – then morning sickness.’ She stopped and thought. ‘When my sister Florrie was having little Amy, she kept fainting if she stood up for long, and she said she had this nasty taste in her mouth. In fact she was quite poorly all the way through.’

While trying to keep an interested, calm expression, Katie found her thoughts hurtling round in panic. She had missed. Her period was late. Very late. But she wasn’t being sick, was she? Not actually sick, although she did feel a bit queasy at times. Quite a lot of the time, if she was truthful. But surely she might just have a chill on her stomach or something? Taking another sip of coffee, she couldn’t help reacting to the horrible taste. Was it her? Surely the coffee was just the same? She decided she wouldn’t bother to drink the rest.

‘Anyroad, I was in a right state for three days, and I think our mom was beginning to suspect something. And then it came – oh!’ Ann fanned her hand past her face in relief. ‘I don’t know what I’d’ve done, honest to God I don’t. I s’pect Gordon would stick by me. He’s mad about me. But I don’t want marriage and kiddies and all that yet – I mean, our Amy and Raymond are the best of kids, but they are a handful. Florrie never stops. I don’t think I could stand all that yet – I want to have some fun first!’ Ann narrowed her eyes and looked at Katie again. ‘You sure you’re all right?’

‘Yes – course. It’s just been a tiring week: working late and . . .’

‘And playing late, I bet, you dark horse. How’s it going with your fella – the perfect gent? And are you still getting digs from her Majesty?’

Katie had told Ann a certain amount about Simon – she loved talking about him for one thing, and there was really no on else she could say much to. Ann knew he was the boss’s son. And she knew about Lena Crosby.

‘Oh, she doesn’t change,’ Katie laughed. She sat back and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, though all the time her hands were clenched tightly in her lap. ‘She makes all sorts of catty remarks. She keeps making out I’m the favourite in the office, even though they really do treat us the same. If anyone asks her to run an errand, she gets all pointy-faced about it because she thinks I should be doing everything like that, because I’m younger. But Simon and I’ – how she loved saying that, Simon and I – ‘never do or say anything in the office that’s not to do with the job.’