Stung by his question and his acerbic tone, she said, ‘Have I done something to upset you?’ For the life of her she couldn’t think what. Not a drop of wine had passed her lips during lunch, so at some point she must have said or done something that annoyed him. But what?

He grunted and flashed his lights at the car in front. Then with a burst of acceleration, he swerved the BMW out into the righthand lane to overtake. Admittedly he’d waited until the way was clear with no oncoming traffic, but even so, for a split second Willow was in fear of her life. Inside her, the baby reacted by suddenly moving in what felt like a very agitated manner. It caused Willow to put a hand to her stomach to calm the baby. It’s okay, little one, she said silently, there’s nothing to worry about, go back to sleep.

It was, she realised, the first time she had experienced a genuine connection to the baby. Was this what motherhood was all about; a selfless and unconscious desire to protect?

Now that Rick had pulled in and slowed his speed, she said, ‘I thought you’d enjoyed yourself at Tom and Martha’s. Didn’t you like meeting Ellis’s son?’

‘Well,’ he said with a snort, ‘we all know you enjoyed meeting him.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Come off it, Willow, you never stopped flirting with him from the moment he arrived.’

‘What?’

‘Don’t try and deny it. I saw the way he looked at you and how you responded, all smiles and coy little remarks.’

‘I did no such thing!’ she remonstrated. ‘Why would I flirt with him when he’s going to be my stepbrother?’

‘Shouldn’t you say, why would you flirt with him when you’re my girlfriend and carrying my child?’

‘This is crazy talk, Rick. You must have misinterpreted my … my friendliness towards him. For Mum’s sake, and Martha’s, I just wanted everyone to get on. For us all to have a pleasant lunch. Can’t you see that?’

‘And what was all that talk about Tom being the one to walk your mother down the aisle? You know your sister deliberately suggested that, don’t you? It was to freeze me out. Every time we get together, she always has to make some kind of pointed remark. She really couldn’t make it any more obvious that she doesn’t like me. What’s more, I think she’d love nothing better than to split us up.’

‘No! Why would she do that?’

‘Maybe she’s jealous.’

‘She’s never been jealous of me before. Far from it.’

‘You didn’t have me in your life before. And it wasn’t just your sister having a go at me, your Mum did as well. I felt so humiliated and you did nothing to back me up.’

‘She was only trying to reassure you that you don’t need to worry so much.’

‘Try telling your friends Simon and Lucy that!’

While he drove on, Willow tried to make sense of everything he’d said – had she really done or said anything that could be misconstrued as flirting with Lucas? Had she been too friendly?