‘No,’ Lauren said. ‘This is over. It’s gone on way too long. I should never, ever have got involved with you in the first place, Jude. It was insanity.’ The pineapple suit made her feel as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. ‘Well, now I’ve had enough. Stay with your wife and your children. I don’t want you.’

Then a small voice came from the crowd. ‘And I don’t want you either.’

Jude’s wife Georgia stepped forward.

‘I can explain everything,’ Jude said in time-honoured fashion.

‘I don’t want your explanations,’ his wife said, her voice calm and level. ‘And I don’t want you to come home tonight. Book into a hotel or go to her. It doesn’t matter either way to me.’

‘This is all a dreadful misunderstanding.’ Jude tried a laugh. No one joined in.

‘I’m surprised at you, Lauren,’ Georgia said. ‘I always liked you. I thought you were a friend.’

‘I’m so sorry, Georgia,’ Lauren offered. ‘I can’t apologise enough for what I’ve done.’

‘I don’t want your apology. I just want you to keep away from me and my family.’

With that, the children ran up behind their mother. ‘We didn’t know where you’d gone, Mummy!’ Benjy said.

‘I came to look for Daddy.’ Her eyes met Jude’s. ‘And I found him.’

‘Are we going home now?’

‘Yes,’ Georgia said with a glance behind her. ‘The boat’s about to dock.’

‘Come on, Daddy,’ Daisy said.

‘Daddy’s got things to do,’ Georgia said. ‘He’s not coming back with us.’

‘Oooh,’ Jude’s daughter whined.

‘Georgia,’ Jude pleaded. ‘I beg you not to do this.’

‘Come on, children,’ she said. ‘Let’s make our way downstairs. You go ahead of me. I want a word with Daddy. But don’t run.’

When the children were out of earshot, she lowered her voice and said, ‘You’re welcome to him, Lauren. He’s not fit to be my husband.’ With that she turned on her heel and walked, head held high, after her children.

Jude turned to Lauren. ‘What have you done?’ Then he chased after his wife, barging through the open-mouthed people who barred his way. ‘Georgia,’ he shouted as he chased after her. ‘Georgia, wait!’

Lauren sank to the deck. Her heart was breaking, not for her, not for the fact that she’d lost Jude, but for the pain that it had caused – would cause – to his wife and children.

Annie had always warned her that this would end in tears, she thought – and it looked as if her twin sister had been right.

Chapter 75

Chapter 75

I’m halfway down the ladder, frozen with shock at the devastation that’s unfolding on the deck beneath me. My hands are white fists as I grip the metal.