They looked at each other in silence.

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘She mentioned it.’

‘Of course she did.’

‘It was only an idea. She was being helpful.’

‘Well thank God she’s not trying to be disruptive.’ She took a series of deep breaths. This was no time for them to argue, and besides, she didn’t really blame him. It was no surprise he had come up with this after talking to Tessa. In recent years they had become closer, but it seemed Tessa was still ready to believe the worst of her.

‘Listen,’ she said. ‘I’m going to accept that you and your sister are simply trying to explore every avenue. But let’s put this to bed once and for all. I’m not having, nor have I ever had, an affair. Or a one-night stand. Or an ill-advised kiss at a Christmas party. I love you, and I would never do that to you. I’ve never even wanted to.’

The tension – some of it, anyway – drained from his face. ‘I never thought different,’ he said. ‘It was … I had to ask.’

‘After Tessa mentioned it.’

‘Yes. But she wasn’t trying to accuse anyone—’

‘Forget it,’ Annabelle said. ‘And let’s get back to finding our children.’

Birmingham, November 2004

1

Matt ran down the stairs of Chamberlain Hall. The bus to the station left in two minutes and it was a three-minute walk. If he missed it, he’d miss his train, which would put him into peak commuting hours on a Friday evening and a more expensive ticket.

Which he could do without. It was bad enough he was going home for the weekend – again – and he didn’t need to pay over the odds for the privilege.

He and Lindsey were giving it a try. She was loving it all: him, them, the pregnancy.

He was loathing every second.

On Tuesday she’d left a message for him to call. He’d wondered for a moment whether something had happened to the baby – he hated himself for the small burst of hope the thought gave him – but the pleasure in her voice when she picked up the phone made it clear there was no bad news.

I’m twelve weeks today, she said.

That’s wonderful.

It is. After twelve weeks the likelihood of something going wrong is much lower. We’re going to be parents, Matt!

He had ended the call terrified. Terrified about becoming a father, terrified by how much Lindsey was thrilled by it and terrified about what the hell was going to happen to his life.

A voice interrupted him.