‘Apparently,’ Jennifer said conspiratorially, ‘he was only doing thirty-six in a thirty zone when he was clocked by the camera. Not exactly dangerous. But he already had nine points, and he’d done that tedious speed awareness course already, so he was going to lose his licence. Only problem is, he’s a sales director for some big food company, drives every day for work.’

‘So he asked his wife to take his points?’ Rowan said. ‘Say she was driving, not him?’

‘That’s what I heard. She agreed, but somehow it came out that she was in Brighton that day – something she put on Facebook – and the police got to know about it, and the you-know-what really hit the fan.’

‘That’s awful,’ Rowan said. ‘So she’s taking the rap for it?’

‘They’re both taking the rap – he’s lost his licence, anyway, and she’s in hot water for lying to the police. They both blamed each other.’

‘Awful,’ Rowan said again.

‘Isn’t it? I heard they’d separated and he’s moved out.’

Alistair said, ‘It was probably the straw that broke the camel’s back. There must have been other . . . concerns in their marriage, things we don’t know about.’

‘The gossip is,’ Jennifer said, leaning forward, ‘they’re now talking about lawyers, divorce, custody – all of that.’

Lawyers, divorce, custody. Each word felt like a slap across my face. What did Jennifer know about it, anyway? What right did she have to be gossiping about people she barely knew? Sticking her nose into someone else’s marriage? With considerable effort, I managed to stay silent.

Rowan was shaking her head, genuine sadness on her face.

‘All that over a dumb speeding ticket; it seems so unfair. Their poor kids.’

‘I know, right? She was only trying to help him out of a tricky situation. I’d have done the same.’

‘Me too,’ Rowan said. She looked over at Sean and Alistair. ‘How about you, boys?’

‘Perhaps,’ Alistair said with a theatrical flourish.

‘Probably,’ Sean said, refilling his wine glass.

Jennifer looked over at me. ‘What do you think, Kate?’

‘Me?’

‘About the Laura and David thing?’

I shrugged. ‘I heard some of the rumours. Didn’t realise they’d separated.’

‘But what would you have done? Do you think she was right to take his points?’

‘Right?’ I shook my head. ‘Of course not.’

‘Even though she was trying to protect him, help him keep his job? Wasn’t she trying to do the best thing for all of them?’

‘Doesn’t make it right. She broke the law, made herself into a liar.’

‘For the right reason, though.’

‘It’s either right or it isn’t, Jen. It’s not complicated. There isn’t a third answer.’

I felt myself getting wound up, the simmering heat of my anger over Sean’s betrayal threatening to boil over.