At quarter to eight Maddy poured herself at least four fingers of whisky and headed for the bathroom. It was a shame there was no time to luxuriate in the oceans of hot water which now belched from the boiler, but she splashed around quickly in the scented foam, wrapped herself in the only dry towel left on the towel rail, and dived into Suzy’s bedroom.

Her long, green velvet dress was laid out on the bed. As it was fairly low cut she twisted some green glass beads around her throat, ran her fingers through her hair so that the curls cascaded wildly, drew two lines in black round each eye, mascaraed like a maniac, bolted the whisky, and was in the sitting room by a minute past eight.

‘You look like a gypsy queen.’ Her father beamed. He was halfway down the whisky decanter. ‘And which young man are you going to introduce us to tonight?’

‘No one.’ Maddy poured herself another drink and topped up her mother’s sherry. ‘Both your daughters are a bit slow in the son-in-law stakes, I’m afraid, Dad.’

‘Oh, there’s years yet for Suzy.’ Mrs Beckett was resplendent in royal blue. ‘But if you want to have babies, Maddy, you ought to look to your laurels. Thirty isn’t that far away, and it’s all downhill from there.’

‘Thanks. I’d better start advertising for a man, then.’

‘Whatever happened to Peter? I liked him.’

‘Oh, he’s …’ Maddy floundered. She didn’t want to say that he was back in Milton St John or about to marry the bimbo stick-insect. She didn’t want to discuss Peter with her parents at all. ‘He’s still wheeling and dealing, you know.’

A commotion in the hall prevented any further explanations.

‘My first guests.’ Maddy drained her glass.

‘Not unless all your friends have front door keys,’ her father said wisely. ‘Perhaps it’s our Suzy?’

‘I’ll go and see.’ Maddy got as far as the sitting-room doorway.

Our Suzy was swaying unsteadily in the hall, her T-shirt rapidly descending from one shoulder, and with purple love bites beneath each ear.

‘Hi, Mad …’ Her smile was diamond bright. ‘We’ve been having a bit of a celebration. Not too late, am I?’

‘No. Just in time. But for God’s sake wear a polo neck. Mum and Dad’ll have a fit. Oh Jesus!’

Suzy looked over her exposed shoulder and beamed almost soppily. ‘Luke came back with us. He’s a bit pissed. He can’t drive back to Newmarket like that so I told him he could stay to dinner …’

Chapter Six

Don’t panic! Maddy thought. There was a padded stool in the bathroom. And Luke was so thin, he surely couldn’t eat more than one pasty, could he?

She held out her hand. ‘It’s lovely to meet you, Luke. Please come through and have a drink while Suzy’s getting changed.’

Luke took her hand in a cool grasp and smiled directly into her eyes. ‘Thanks, I’d love to, but I won’t stay if it’s inconvenient. Suzy said you were entertaining. I don’t want to intrude.’