Surprised, Laurel considered her words then made her voice as gentle as possible. ‘Whatever you and Grady are to each other is none of my business. But it would probably make this conversation shorter if I tell you I already know what you suggested to Grady about your baby.’

Pippa’s eyebrows flew up. Presumably, Laurel being in possession of such knowledge hadn’t been in her plan. Her lip trembled. ‘It is his,’ she insisted, weakly. Then, with a lightning change of tack, she added, ‘This has got nothing to do with you.’

‘That’s right.’ With a last smile, Laurel tried sidling past to reach the exit.

Evidently, that wasn’t the plan either as, her voice rising several notches, Pippa barked a question. ‘Are you seeing a lot of him?’

Hesitating at the door, Laurel considered. She owed Pippa no explanations but she didn’t want to be rude or hostile, so she said lightly, ‘If Grady’s not falling in with your plans, it’s not because of me.’ She reached for the door handle.

‘If Grady and I got back together, everything would be OK,’ Pippa murmured piteously. ‘My parents …’

Laurel waited. Surely Pippa was too old to be scared of her parents? She was in her thirties. But then … Laurel supposed she was no judge. She hadn’t had parents for such a long time, and maybe disappointing parents was hard, whatever age you were. She could see how I’m back with Grady and we’re having a baby would present an entirely different picture to I’ve had a contraception disaster with a man I barely know. She wished she had something wise and sage to offer, but it wasn’t that long since she’d have felt black fury that a woman could treat an unwanted pregnancy like a tragedy. It had once seemed unbearably unfair but, finally, she’d come to realise life wasn’t fair. Her IVF treatment not working didn’t mean she was entitled to judge Pippa for a broken condom.

‘I hope you find a way forward,’ she murmured, and slipped out of the close confines of the room with relief. But not before Pippa vented a bitter, ‘Don’t offer to get out of my way by leaving Grady alone, will you?’ The remark was calculated to make Laurel uncomfortable. It succeeded, though she understood that Pippa, rather like Bertie, had got into a situation and now was disappointed others wouldn’t resolve it.

Laurel hoped Grady had ordered large drinks because she was going to have to share with him what had just happened. No matter her distress, there was no way Pippa should be lying about paternity. No woman ever should, but it was particularly unfair in his case.