‘And so was he,’ said Adele, when the waiter had gone. ‘You flirt too openly, my dear. You are becoming . . . forgive me for saying, this. You are becoming coarse.’

‘Oh fuck off, Adele.’

‘You see? Coarse.’

They drank in silence.

‘If I have a little bit of fun on the side,’ said Victoria at last, ‘if I take advantage of the opportunities that being Massimo’s mistress gives me, then I have you to thank, Adele, for teaching me that men are to be used.’

‘Not in this way. One must keep up appearances.’

‘You’re starting to sound like Massimo.’

‘And we are both right. You can’t go around like a child in a sweetshop, grab grab grab. Especially now.’

‘Well I’m bored. I get lonely.’

‘You’ll be a great deal more lonely if you lose Massimo.’

‘I won’t. He’s getting divorced, isn’t he?’

‘Maybe.’

‘What do you mean, maybe?’

‘I mean . . . what is the English expression? Don’t count your chickens?’

‘All right. I know. And there’s many a slip twixt cup and lip. You can trot them all out.’

‘There is wisdom even in cliché you know.’

‘He’s been saying for years that he wanted a divorce so that we could be together all the time. He said it repeatedly when we were in France. It was wonderful . . . it was like being married to him for real.’

‘But it is not real. It is a fantasy.’

‘The only thing that’s been preventing Massimo from getting a divorce is the fact that he and his wife and his family are all such bloody good Catholics. He would not instigate divorce proceedings simply on the grounds that he had fallen in love with someone else. The Pope wouldn’t like that at all. But now that she’s started it . . .’

‘If she has.’

‘You know she has. You told me that everyone was talking about it. All those big high-powered lawyers who hang around your parties. They should know, shouldn’t they?’

‘I would be very careful about planning my future on the basis of gossip, Victoria.’

‘You just can’t stand the idea that Massimo and I might be happy together, can you?’

‘And can you?’

‘Of course we can.’

‘Darling, there is a big difference between being a mistress and being a wife.’

‘Huh. Like you’d know.’

‘Just because I have never married does not mean I do not have eyes in my head. I watch. I observe. They all say they want the divorce. But when it finally comes, they are not always so glad. Maybe they are unhappy, even. They lose a lot of money, paying the lawyers and the settlement and the alimony. Maybe they start looking for someone to blame.’

‘It’s not my fault they’re getting divorced, Adele.’

‘Isn’t it, darling? Are you sure?’

‘Of course. I’m not stupid.’

‘I hope you’re not, darling. I really do.’