But it had, because Alice knew how to get inside her head. She did it by being herself. And by being genuine and affectionate and real. These were traits that Rosa wasn’t used to. Traits that were sweet and warm and irresistible – and so very dangerous because they were having such an effect on her. She was losing control of her emotions and that was unsettling. How long, she wondered, before she started having doubts about who she was and what she did.

But Rosa was determined not to worry about it or allow it to spoil the rest of the evening. Instead she decided to embrace the feeling, and she even imagined herself sharing more with Alice than just a few nights in London.

‘When we get back to the apartment I’m going to give you a nice gentle massage to help ease those aching muscles,’ Alice said.

It put a spring in Rosa’s step as they walked from the restaurant back to the flat. And it stopped her mind from drifting back to what had happened in Balham. She needed to push that behind her and live in the moment again.

She had a glorious night to look forward to in Alice’s bed. And then tomorrow she’d redeem herself with a killing that people would talk about for years to come.

45

Laura

There was nothing the doctor could do for me except to give me tablets to ease the pain in my stomach. I wasn’t ill or injured or cursed with a physical disability. What I had was a broken heart and that couldn’t be treated or cured with any medication.

Nonetheless the pain was immeasurable. And I decided that I was going to have to suffer in silence. I felt that in the circumstances it really wouldn’t be fair to tell Aidan and our parents about the miscarriage. It would have to wait. Or perhaps they would never have to know. After all I could keep it to myself. Pretend that it had never happened in order to spare them the mental anguish.

At least I knew now that I was able to conceive. I wasn’t infertile, which was something I’d feared. So there was no reason to believe that I wouldn’t become pregnant again. And it was highly unlikely that next time a ruthless assassin would force me to miscarry.

But telling myself all this did not stop the tears from coursing down my cheeks. And it didn’t stop me from wondering if my child had been a boy or a girl.

I spent an endless, sleepless night sitting next to Aidan’s bed. He remained unconscious for most of the time after the surgeons carried out an operation on his shoulder.