‘So, how are things with you? You seem tired,’ she said, as we studied our reflections.
A wave of nausea made me flinch. Eloise was sticking a pin into my dress, but my sudden movement made her miss and the pin scraped my skin.
I flinched again.
‘Sorry,’ she trilled. ‘But you must keep still.’
‘Is everything okay, Zoë?’ asked Alice.
Eloise was busy with her pins, but I still didn’t want to discuss this in front of a perfect stranger.
‘I’m fine,’ I said brightly.
‘Is there something you’re not telling me?’
I couldn’t keep up the pretence any longer. I glanced at Alice and nodded.
Eloise got to her feet. ‘All done.’
Thank God.
I slipped off my heels and dragged myself back to the changing room, with Alice in tow. She waved away the assistant, and asked me to help her undress.
‘So,’ she said over her shoulder as I began unlacing her, ‘what happened last night?’
‘Simon got rushed to the hospital.’
Her eyes widened. ‘Oh my goodness, why? Is he okay?’
How much should I tell her? Simon might not want people to know what happened.
‘He had an allergic reaction to something, but he’s fine now.’
‘Have you got time for a coffee? I want to hear all about it.’
*
Twenty minutes later we were installed in the Nordic Bakery round the corner. Alice was watching what she ate, so only ordered a rooibos tea. But I needed real sustenance, and had armed myself with an Americano and a muffin bursting with blueberries.
‘So, tell me everything,’ she said.
‘I had a weird night. Even before I got that call from Simon.’
‘You weren’t with him when he had the allergic reaction?’
I shook my head. ‘I was at a work do – a ball of all things – and there was a bit of a ruckus, an actual fist fight. Sort of... overme.’
Alice’s eyes were wide. ‘What happened?’
I glanced around to check if anyone might be listening. But it was okay – we were the only customers here and the steaming espresso machine was making enough noise to ensure we wouldn’t be overheard by the baristas.
‘You know Jonny Delaney?’
‘Of course.’
Stupid question. ‘He gatecrashed the party to shout at me, and my friend Nick sort of punched him.’
‘Sort of punched him?’
