“My ex-wife got pregnant before we married. That was the reason we married, if I’m honest.” I flinched. It sounded such a cruel thing to say. He must have noticed my expression, because he went on, “Actually it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I hadn’t wanted a baby at that point; I was only twenty-five. But she came off the pill because it was giving her headaches and the next thing we knew, she was pregnant.” He smiled at me. “It was wonderful. From the moment he was born I loved him. Before then, even. The intensity”—he laughed—“it’s just staggering. Nothing prepares you for it.”

I knew exactly how he felt. I was sorry for his ex-wife; I didn’t even know her name, but here I was learning all about her private medical history. My mind was racing. She’d gotten pregnant so easily. Tom had proven he could make a woman pregnant. Wasn’t it much more likely that the baby was his? My head pounded. I didn’t want his baby. I did want this baby, though.

“So who do you think is more likely to be the father?” His voice was soft and persuasive. “Your husband? Really?”

I looked down, feeling sick again. “Yes. Really.”

He touched my hand. “Did you think the problem lay with you?” he asked gently. “Is that what’s been on your mind all these years?”

I couldn’t speak.

“Maybe the two of you together . . . maybe it was never going to happen that way. That’s not uncommon, you know. And now that you’re with someone different . . .”

“I’m not with you!”

“Not now,” he said. “But you were. And this is my baby, so who knows what’s going to happen?”

He leaned forward and I could smell coffee, sour on his breath. I tried to lean back, to keep my distance, but his eyes were fixed on mine and I didn’t seem able to move. “I would have thought,” he said, “that a woman of your age who thought there was the slightest chance she might get pregnant would be very sure to use contraception if she slept with another man.”

“Do you really think I carry condoms around with me on the off-chance I’m going to sleep with someone?”

He shrugged. “I have no idea. But if I’d been in your position, I would have made sure I didn’t get pregnant.”

“And vice versa.”

He laughed. “You took me by surprise.”

I’d had enough. “Do you like black-and-white movies?”

He looked startled at the change of subject. “Yeah, some. Why?”

“Oh, I saw one the other day. It was called Gaslight. Have you seen it?”

Slowly he shook his head.

“You remind me of someone in it. But you know what?” I leaned forward and whispered, so that he had to lean forward to hear me. “I can see through you.”