Page 95 of The Way We Are Now

‘Right,’ I said dully.

‘I’d suspected – well, I’d hoped – for a while that might be the case, and I popped out this morning when Theo had left, and Angus was sleeping, and bought one of those clever little Clearblue tests.’ Honor gave another little tinkle of laughter. ‘You know,’ she went on, almost matily, ‘when I was pregnant with the boys, it wasn’t quite the done thing, certainly not in our circle, to pop into the local Co-op for a test. My lovely consultant was on the job from day one with both boys…’

On the job? Was Honor trying to tell me this doctor had impregnated her as well as seen her through her pregnancies? I shook my befuddled brain and stared.

‘…so, with everything going on, I know you’ll do the right thing, Ms Piasecki. I mean, what a scandal for a woman in your position – the left-leaning protector of wronged women and partner of a prominent politician – to be plastered all over the papers as the scarlet whore who fancies herself a bit of upmarket posh totty for a change?’

‘Sorry?’ My head was spinning and if I didn’t get air, the nausea I’d been feeling all day would result in my vomiting over Theo’s wife’s Ferragamos. ‘I’m sorry,’ I said again. ‘I really must be going.’ I stood, knowing my face must have drained of all colour.

‘No, no, I must be off. I’m sure you working women, you intellectual types, have full days ahead of you.’ Honor stood. ‘I’m off to Holland Park to update Theo on both bits of news and then…’ she gave a little smile ‘…I thought I might take him to Harrods. The baby department is quite exquisite. Early days, I know, but we’ll both be hoping for a girl. After two boys, I know Theo will be wanting a little bit of feminine input on the estate. As will I.’

She made for the door but then turned and came back.

‘I won’t take your hand, Ms Piasecki, but I do believe I’ve made my point, so no reason to shake on it.’ She was no longer smiling, and I saw her face, beautiful as it was, was somewhat unnatural, and certainly hard.

I leaned back in my chair, closed my eyes and tried to curtail the nausea. I stood, dashed past Gemma and vomited profusely in the ladies’ restroom.

I almost crawled back to my desk, knew I couldn’t face the car journey home and, instead, moved over and sank onto the sofa I’d had installed in my office.

‘Was that who I thought it was?’ Gemma asked in some excitement.

‘You’ve obviously done your research,’ I snapped, but then said, ‘Yes, that was Honor Mandeville.’

‘So why did she call herself Ms Lennox?’

‘Her maiden name. Part of it, anyhow.’

‘Yes, she’s actually Honor Lennox-Cooper.’ Gemma nodded knowingly.

‘So, if you know all this, why were you asking why she was Ms Lennox?’

‘Didn’t want you to think I’d been snooping.’

‘Gemma, you always snoop.’

‘And? And? What did she want?’

‘Basically to frighten me off Theo. Oh, and just a little matter of her being pregnant herself. Gemma, she says she’s pregnant!’ I wailed the words out loud, yet whether it was shock or my being pregnant that had taken all the fight out of me, I didn’t know, but I remained dry-eyed as I stared at Gemma.

‘Blimey, it must be the season for it. That’s three of us – four if you include my cousin’s neighbour who…’

‘Gemma!’

‘Oh,’ Gemma shook her head sagely, ‘she’s making it up. Playing you at your own game. It happens all the time on EastEnders. They do tell a lot of lies on that programme,’ she added thoughtfully. ‘Anyway, I don’t believe a word of it.’

‘Gemma, please, just bring me really weak tea? And a cushion?’

‘A cushion? Piles already?’

‘Gemma, I might love you to bits and I’ve agreed to be godmother to your child, but if you carry on like this, I’m seriously going to fire you. Or even kill you!’

‘But don’t you want to talk about it? This is pretty serious stuff, Anna. How about I bring two cushions, and you can tell me all about it. I could do with a lie down myself.’

I was actually tempted because I could feel tears starting. I’d lost Theo once again. How had I been so careless? How could I bear it?

‘Gemma, I’m going to lie on this sofa, and put my head down on the cushion you’re going to bring me, for an hour. Don’t you let anyone else in past that door. Or I’ll seriously fire you.’

Exhausted as well as utterly shocked at Honor Mandeville’s visit and consequent announcement, I curled up on the sofa in a foetal position and slept. Gemma must have come in at some point because she’d found a blanket from somewhere and covered me. I was dreaming of Fliss, and she was with Theo back in Leeds, and he was in the bath again and instead of apologising and hunting for a towel, he told her to strip off and get in the bath with him. And they were laughing together and then Les appeared with a huge serrated kitchen knife and cut off not only Theo’s fingers, but Fliss’s head…