‘I told her I would have done a good job for her, that I would have kept it competitive. I said if they were worried about budgets, she could have spoken to me; that she could have trusted me. But do you know what she said?’ Laura paused. ‘Of course you do, because you put the words right in her mouth, Mia. Tess said she didn’t know that she could trust me any longer. She didn’t think I had her best interests at heart, when I was having an affair with the boss.’

Laura glared at Mia, who reluctantly held her gaze.

‘I mean, even if I was, which I’m not,’ she screamed, ‘what would it matter? How would that ever affect my work? Except you knew it mattered to her, didn’t you?’ she went on, pointing at Mia. ‘Because Tess had confided in you that her husband had left her for his secretary. And so you knew that if you wanted to get your hands on my job, then that was a safe little trick to play.’

Mia glanced over Laura’s shoulder. Laura didn’t need to turn to sense the hush that had descended on the people nearest to them. ‘People are looking,’ Mia said through gritted teeth.

‘Why did you lie about me?’ Laura continued.

Mia shook her head and turned away.

‘Tell me,’ Laura yelled, lunging forward with her hand outstretched again as Mia dodged out of her way. ‘Why make that up? What have I done to you, Mia?’

‘You’re making a scene,’ Mia hissed. ‘You’ve had too much to drink. This isn’t the time or place to—’

‘Don’t you dare tell me I’ve had too much to drink!’ Laura cried.

A sound rose from someone near to them, a gasp or a laugh, something indecipherable.

‘Who the hell do you think you are? You’ve come into my life and stolen my job from under me, and you stand there, all high and mighty, telling me this isn’t the time. It is the time, Mia. It’s precisely the time. I want to know what I’ve done to you that— Don’t you walk away from me!’ Laura yelled as Mia turned her back and began to walk across the garden. She could feel her face tightening, the squeeze of her muscles rippling down her body. There were maybe half a dozen people standing around watching with horror or amusement, Laura couldn’t tell which; all she could see was that Mia was desperately trying to get away from them as she strode towards the pool.

Laura’s breaths were coming short and fast and she knew that if she followed Mia, everyone else would probably see them too, but in that moment she couldn’t give a shit.

Chapter Thirty-Two