‘Are you shaking your head?’ she said. ‘You think I’m making it up?’

‘No, I don’t think that at all. I just have no idea why you’re so intent on getting at her, and not Harry.’

Laura’s pulse was racing as she looked at her husband. She knew what he thought of her boss; he’d always said he never trusted Harry, and yet he did trust her, implicitly. He knew she would never do so much as flirt with Harry Wood. So why did she feel now like he was accusing her of something?

‘I’ve known Harry years – he’s always looked out for me, you know that,’ she told him defiantly. ‘We wouldn’t even be in this house if it wasn’t for Harry taking a chance on me. I believe him,’ she said, because even though she wasn’t entirely convinced by her own words, it was what she desperately wanted.

Nate nodded. ‘Okay.’

‘What, you don’t?’

‘I’m not saying that at all. I’m sure Harry’s telling the truth. But you don’t owe him everything, Laura, simply because he gave you the job.’

‘I think this is down to Mia,’ Laura said, ignoring Nate and willing him to understand where she was coming from. The fact was that she had to believe Harry, because she needed him. All she needed from Mia was for her to leave the company. ‘And somehow I’m going to prove it.’

‘Oh, Laura,’ he groaned. ‘Don’t go down that road.’

‘What?’ she cried, pushing him in the arm when he didn’t respond. ‘What do you mean?’

Nate shook his head. ‘You don’t need this right now, do you? You’ve only just gone back after having Bobby. Don’t you need to – I don’t know – keep things plain sailing for a while.’

‘Plain sailing? What are you saying? That I should accept everything that’s happened?’

‘Well, yeah. For now, anyway. I think you’ve probably got enough other things going on in your head.’ He waved a hand about the room. ‘And you’re not getting enough sleep. You’re probably overtired.’

Laura screwed up her eyes at him. ‘You think I’m not up to dealing with it? Because I’ve had a baby?’

‘No.’

‘So what do you mean by “not getting enough sleep”?’

‘I’m just saying, Laura. Christ, I don’t know – you’re taking this the wrong way.’

‘Because I’m what: too emotional?’ she asked.

‘Oh, for God’s sake.’ Nate rolled his eyes and sank back into the sofa.

Laura shook her head as a tear escaped and rolled down her face. She wiped it away quickly before he could prove his point. Eventually she sank back too, and after a moment Nate reached out and squeezed her leg.

‘I mean be careful,’ he said. ‘That’s all.’