‘You think?’ Connie was surprised at her friend’s reaction. She’d expected more shock and disapproval.

‘Christ, Con, we’re only human. Cheating is never great, obviously, but it’s hardly your fault the person you did it with turned out to be a bloody stalker.’ She looked at her intently. ‘He’s totally out of the picture now, right?’

‘Totally. Anyway, he’d never find me here.’

Tessa raised her eyebrows. ‘You’re sure about that?’

She nodded firmly, although she wasn’t as sure as she was making out. On the way up to Hampstead earlier, she’d found herself scanning the tube carriage, the platforms, the pavement, just in case. Dinah, she knew, lived in Highgate, just the other side of the Heath.

There was silence as Tessa leaned back in her chair, wine glass clutched in both hands. ‘Give Devan a bit of time to calm down … to miss you. Then talk it through.’

It sounded so rational, so simple. But Tessa hadn’t witnessed Devan’s rage, his humiliation at Jared’s hand.

‘You can stay here as long as you like, Connie. I’m off up to Edinburgh on the fifteenth, having a few weeks with the family … which I’m really looking forward to. But you can be here while I’m gone.’ She frowned. ‘Although Christmas holed up all on your lonesome doesn’t sound like much of a plan.’

‘I’ll see how things go, if that’s OK? It’s so kind of you, taking me in like this, Tess.’

‘Believe me, you’re doing me a favour. And if you’re staying, you can look after the cat.’

Connie had not seen any cat, but she smiled and agreed because nothing made sense in her life any more. One moment she’d been looking forward to a cosy family Christmas, checking out recipes for the turkey she and Caitlin would cook together, planning what to buy for her beloved grandson. The next, she was exiled in North London with only Tessa’s cat – whose name, she later discovered, was Monty – for company.

27

Tessa had taken the night sleeper for Scotland five days ago. It was nearly two weeks since Connie had arrived at her friend’s house, and the days had passed slowly. Tessa was working on and off, had presents to organize, other friends to catch up with. But they would have supper and a good glass of wine most evenings, talk like only lifelong friends can. Neither had solutions for each other’s current sorrows, but it was comforting for Connie gradually to unwrap the chaos in her brain with someone who would listen, not judge.