Ricky answered, sincerely, ‘I don’t want you to feel that you’re excluded from my world. You can’t be, you and the baby are my world.’ Seeing Verity’s eyes lift towards him, shining with hope and happiness, he made a decision, and committed to it so quickly that he surprised himself with his resolve. ‘If it’ll make you happier, I’ll only go back to Bangladesh every month, or less if I can manage it, and only for an overnight stay at most, just to check on the lands and that Ammie’s still kicking and complaining. And I’ll stop seeing the people who turn up from Bangladesh - I only meet up with them out of politeness anyway.’ He thought with a fleeting, genuine sorrow about Shona - the imaginary visitors from Bangladesh were almost always an excuse which would allow him to see her occasionally; he would have to try and see her during working hours now. Besides, Shona didn’t need him; she had his money for whatever secret she had planned; she had her husband and her life in Tooting. She was more of an exile from the family than even he was.

Verity nodded, her tears almost dried up, and was even able to give Ricky a tremulous smile. ‘That would make me happier. But I still don’t understand. You’ll share your life with me, but not your name.’

Ricky had an idea. ‘Why don’t we share our names, Verity? If it means so much to you to take my name, I’ll take yours, too. What do you think? Mr and Mrs True-man-Karim?’

Verity was astounded. ‘You’ll take my name, too? I mean, you don’t mind? On your passport and everything?’

‘What?’ said Ricky, this time his attempt at humour judged a bit more accurately. ‘Don’t you like the idea? You mean you’ll share your life with me, but not your name?’

‘Oh, Ricky,’ said Verity, hugging him with sudden delight. ‘You do love me! You do want the world to know about us.’

In the congenial coffee-scented embrace that followed, in those early hours of the morning, while Ricky fed Verity her favourite bitter-mint chocolates, he reflected that spinning a lie was like spinning smooth threads of chocolate; it melted in the mouth sweetly, and made everything so much more palatable. He had no intention of changing all his paperwork - he would keep a separate set for his different lives; his Bangladeshi passport would remain the same, but the British passport which he could apply for now that he and Verity were married would carry his new, married name.