Peter shook his head. ‘It was cruel of you, particularly towards Jo.’

I gave a dry laugh. ‘So? She’s not actually related to her, is she?’

He reeled slightly, as if I’d struck him. ‘But she doesn’t know that!’ he hissed. ‘And of course, we’ve only got your word for it …’

‘Seriously, Peter? You’re still going down that route? I’d better book a DNA test to prove it once and for all. I can get the results sent to your home …’

Peter’s eyes slid from me to Elodie.

‘But I don’t think you really need a test, do you?’ I turned her around so that he could see her more clearly. ‘You know she’s yours, don’t you?’

Peter’s eyes filled with tears and he nodded miserably. ‘What a bloody mess.’

I laid Elodie down on her changing mat and began to change her nappy. ‘There was no need, though, Peter. You could have had a happy life with me and her.’ I turned to look at him. ‘Just the three of us together.’

He shook his head. ‘That would never have happened. I couldn’t leave Jo.’

‘But you could shag around behind her back with no trouble!’ My voice was louder than I had intended and we both gasped slightly, straining to hear whether my words had reached Ben and Jo. But the murmuring sound of their voices burbled on uninterrupted.

Peter came to stand beside me, as I buttoned up Elodie’s babygro. I cursed the renewed shiver of excitement that ran through me at his proximity. ‘Look,’ he said in an urgent undertone. ‘We need to work out a way to make this bearable for both of us – for all of us, actually,’ he added, looking at Elodie. There was genuine affection in his eyes. ‘This isn’t a game, Bella, this is Elodie’s life we’re talking about. Ben’s life. I want them both to be OK.’

I didn’t reply. It annoyed me that he was making it out to be my fault when it was his selfish actions that lay at the root of everything.

Peter put his hand on my shoulder, causing a crackle of electricity to shoot through me. I didn’t want his touch to have any effect. I just wanted to be able to mentally shut him out, whilst making his life a living nightmare for the way he’d treated me. But he triggered such a violent reaction in me that it was impossible. To my horror, my eyes filled with tears and I blinked them away furiously.

‘Bella?’ he prompted, his tone slightly softer.

I nodded slowly. ‘If you behave, Peter, then I will, too.’

Peter exhaled, relief flooding his features. ‘Thank you …’

‘But,’ I continued, ‘the second you put a foot out of line, I will make your life hell. Remember that.’ I picked up Elodie and laid her over my shoulder, rubbing her back gently.

Peter gazed at her sadly. ‘How could I ever forget? I’m glad I’ve finally seen her. She’s beautiful. Really beautiful.’