She laughed. ‘Everyone thought the sun shone out of Luke Lawson’s arse. No one would ever think badly of him. In fact, everyone always acted like I was bloody lucky to have a spoilt posh lad like him.’ She grimaced and added, ‘He was a selfish little shit, all said and done. I’m sorry, but he was.’ She glanced at Clara. ‘Perhaps he’s changed. But all he cared about back then was what people would think, especially his parents, how it would fuck up his plans to go to uni, how a baby wouldn’t fit in with his perfect bloody image. He dropped me without a backward glance. But no, I didn’t tell anyone what had happened. I guess I felt … ashamed, somehow.’ She sighed. ‘Now I’d like to go back in time and give my head a wobble, tell myself to have more self-esteem and then give Luke Lawson a good kick in the nuts.’

As Clara listened, shock reverberated through her. Amy’s tone was so disparaging, painting a picture of a man she barely recognized. ‘Anyway,’ Amy said, throwing her cigarette butt away. ‘That’s all I’ve got to tell you.’ She got to her feet. ‘I’m sorry, but I better get on now. Kids’ tea and that.’

Clara thought of the pictures of the chubby, smiling groom in the hall. ‘Will your husband be home soon?’ she asked.

Amy snorted. ‘Probably. I wouldn’t know.’ Clara stared at her in confusion and she laughed. ‘He lives two streets away with someone else.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry, I thought—’

Amy made a face. ‘I keep the pictures up for the kids’ sake. They’re still a bit messed up from it all.’ She wrapped her cardigan around herself and headed for the door. When she reached it she paused. ‘Funny,’ she said, ‘how it’s always us women who are left to deal with the shit men leave behind, isn’t it?’

Later, as they began the drive home, Clara told Mac what Amy had said.

‘Jesus,’ he said, ‘I had no idea.’

‘He never said anything to you?’

‘Not a word. I …’

‘What?’

He shook his head. ‘I thought I knew everything about him,’ he said quietly. ‘I really thought we told each other everything. Obviously not.’