Sharon felt herself blush and laughed to hide her embarrassment. He really sounded like he meant what he said to her. But he was a womaniser and he looked on all of the female sex as potential mates. Although he was already married to her friend, she knew that, as much as he loved Jamella, he would always need a bit of strange. It was the nature of the beast.

‘Your eyes look sad, Sharon. Sparkly, but still there’s a sadness behind them.’

‘Hark at you!’

He looked down at her face and he said seriously, ‘You thinking about your first wedding to Lenny?’

She nodded almost imperceptibly and then she said honestly, ‘I can’t help it. I feel terrible but I suppose it was inevitable, really.’

He nodded but continued to look into her face and she wished the Stylistics record would end so she would be free of his scrutiny. Barton was a shrewd man and that was not just her opinion – it was the opinion of anyone who came into contact with him.

‘Human nature, Sharon. I would be surprised if you didn’t think about it. You had a prosperous union by most standards. Two lovely boys. And then him being taken so viciously. Bound to have an effect, darling.’

She sighed. ‘Well, that was then, and this is now. I know we are going to be very happy together.’

Barton could hear the uncertainty in her voice but he did not remark on it. After all, who knew what she had heard about Ray? He could guarantee that anything she did hear from certain people would not be to the good. Ray was making a few enemies and that was something Barton understood, because in their game it was part of living the Life.

‘He loves you, Sharon, more than anything. He adores those boys, and that little girl you’ve given him has made him happier than I have ever seen. Remember that. He ain’t like me. I’m always on the lookout for a bit of strange, as you have probably heard. Let’s face it – my old woman ain’t exactly quiet about my foibles, is she? But never him. Ray has eyes only for you and that counts in his favour, surely?’

Sharon forced a smile, feeling her face ache with the effort of looking as happy as this man wanted her to be. And she was happy – she was determined to be.

‘I’m glad to hear that, as you can imagine!’ She made her voice light and full of fun and that was good enough for Barton, who decided that he had said his piece and that would be the end of it.

Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Eight