‘Oh!’ Stacey’s glossy lips pouted into a perfect O. ‘Is he hurt?’

‘No. It wasn’t that sort of accident. More a mishap.’ Maddy smiled, hating Stacey with all the ferocity of a woman made to feel like a lard mountain. ‘I didn’t realise you were with him tonight.’

‘Course I am. Petie and I are inseparable. I was out in the yard. I persuaded Diana to show me her sweet little horses.’

Drew choked. Maddy grinned at Diana and Gareth’s multimillion pound string of Classic contenders being described as children’s hacks. Then she had a sudden vision of Peter’s gloriously athletic body entwined with Stacey’s fragility in the throes of passion and felt sick.

‘If you’ll excuse me,’ she picked up her glass of tepid mineral water, ‘I need a refill.’

On cue, Peter made his appearance. ‘Oh, don’t go yet, Maddy. We’ve still got so much to talk about.’

‘I’m sure we haven’t.’ Maddy threw back her head in an attempt at haughtiness and immediately wished she hadn’t. The basque gave an ominous groan. ‘We can discuss Shadows when you’ve found a suitable property. You know where to find me.’

Peter narrowed his blue eyes. ‘Are you with someone?’

‘Don’t be so unflattering. It’s not that hard to believe, surely? Actually, I’m not tonight.’ Anger surged through her. ‘By choice.’

‘Really?’ The eyebrows started their upward climb again. Then he spotted Stacey. ‘Hello, sweetie pie.’ He encompassed Stacey’s slender waist with his arm. ‘Did you miss me?’

She obviously had by the way she immediately started nuzzling his ear. It was with infinite pleasure that Maddy noticed the very distinctive damp patch across the crotch of Peter’s cream trousers.

‘Oh, this is nice!’ Diana wafted in to join them. ‘All catching up on old times, are we?’ She turned to Drew. ‘Peter and Maddy were something of a fixture at one time, you know. Now he’s got dear little Stacey, and Maddy darling has been so civilised about it. I always say one should try and be on friendly terms with one’s exes. Especially in a small village like this. After all, relationships are a bit like musical chairs here, aren’t they, Maddy?’

Maddy frowned. Diana made it sound as though Sodom and Gomorrah could take lessons from Milton St John.

‘Oh, I couldn’t agree more.’ Drew nodded in time with his hostess. ‘Everybody should stay friends with everybody else and share the children around at Christmas.’

‘Have you got children?’ Stacey gave Drew a ten second bat of her false eyelashes. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know you, do I?’

‘No, you don’t.’ Drew shook his head, smiling his pussycat smile and not attempting to enlighten her. His eyes were momentarily cold. ‘And no, I don’t have children. Peter obviously likes them, though.’

The remark bypassed Stacey and landed on Maddy who looked at Drew Fitzgerald with renewed admiration.

‘Oh, yes. We want to have hundreds. Don’t we, lambkin?’

Lambkin! Maddy bit her lips until her eyes watered.

Peter cuddled Stacey closer. ‘I understand Maddy is your cleaner, Diana. Very creditable of you – inviting the staff to our parties.’