They’d become friends after she’d been summoned to the school because of her daughter’s deteriorating marks and lack of contribution in class. When, a month later, she learned that Lisa was a regular visitor at Tom’s pupil consultation hour, Julia ended the affair. She didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of a relationship with the one person her daughter currently trusted and confided in. In any case, he wasn’t really right for her, not just because of the age difference – at twenty-nine Tom was a good ten years younger – but more importantly because he was so demanding. He’d wanted to see her almost every day and sleep with her all the time. Even though she felt flattered by the interest of such a young and attractive man, this telephone call was further proof that she’d made the right decision.

Did Tom really think that all he had to do was call and she’d abandon her autumn holiday with her daughter?

‘Wild horses wouldn’t get me back off this ship.’

‘Maybe wild horses wouldn’t, but a video might!’

Julia sat up straight.

‘What sort of video?’ she asked, sensing that the elation of the past half hour was soon going to dissipate.

‘I don’t think a mother ought ever have to see something like it,’ she heard Tom say. ‘But you’ve got to. I’ve sent you the link.’

6

It took Julia Stiller less than a minute to retrieve the small tablet from her handbag and log in to the ship’s free Wi-Fi. Beforehand she closed the balcony doors of her cabin and drew the curtains so the setting sun didn’t reflect in her screen.

‘You’re scaring me,’ she said to Tom, and sat down at the dressing table beside the television.

The email he’d sent her just a few minutes earlier had no subject or accompanying comments. She tapped her finger on the blue underlined text, immediately opening a website with a simple design. It looked amateurish, like the privately run forum on which Julia occasionally exchanged information with others who suffered mood swings due to an underactive thyroid.

‘What’s that?’ she asked.

‘Isharerumours,’ Tom replied. ‘The plebs’ version of Facebook. Lots of schoolkids use this portal to bitch about teachers or fellow pupils. It’s hugely popular because you can log in anonymously and there are no controls whatsoever.’

From the breathiness in his voice Julia could tell how uncomfortable Tom was finding this conversation. And she could imagine the expression on his face as he sat at home in front of his computer, while she was focusing on the imitation iPad she’d bought from a food discounter.