As if! It was the seventies, and the power of marriage was slowly being eroded. Divorce was no longer for the rich and famous, it was now becoming a part of everyday life. Josephine was determined that her Michael would always see her as the girl he had met and married, not as the woman he had tied himself to. She would not become a whining, overweight baby-maker who lost the knack of enjoying the life that was on offer. Those were the women she secretly despised. She believed she was too shrewd to fall for all that old fanny.

For now she intended to warn off any women who saw themselves as contenders for her position as Michael’s girl. If she had to fight them off physically, if that is what it took to keep him beside her, she would, though she hoped it never came to that. Instead, she was making a name for herself as a beauty, as a fashion plate, and she wanted everyone to remember how good she looked each time they saw her. She was going to make sure that nothing interfered with them or their lives together. Still, she’d be a fool not to be a bit intimidated by just how important he was becoming, and how his status would make him even more attractive to certain women. Her mum had made sure she understood the ways of their world. There were pug-ugly men who, without their status as hard nuts, would be hard pushed to pull a muscle – let alone anything else. She knew that a lot of those men had walked out on their families for the lure of youth. It was pathetic, but it was a fact of the life they lived with. But it was not going to happen to her. Michael loved her and, if she used her loaf, that would never change.

She gulped her champagne down quickly, suddenly gripped by a feeling of anxiety. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Calm again, she lapped up the attention, which served to remind Michael of just how good she was for him, and how wonderful their life together would be.

She saw Patrick’s wife Carmel beckoning her over; as usual she was surrounded by the other women at the party. Patrick’s wife was never alone. Carmel’s so-called ‘friends’ agreed with everything she said and waited for her to take the lead on all matters. It was almost embarrassing to watch at times. Carmel Costello loved being the queen bee, and she played the part to perfection. If she decided to dance, then they all danced. If she drank shots, they each followed suit. And if she decided that one of the girls had offended her in some way, they immediately became persona non grata to everyone, pushed out of her circle brutally and very publicly. Carmel Costello made her wishes very clear.