'I didn't want to marry you,' Luke shouted. 'I only did it because... well, because you were pregnant and I'd made a mess of my real life and I thought I should. But as soon as we did it I knew I'd made a mistake.'

And there it was. The long-unspoken, avoided truth.

'I see,' Poppy said slowly into the cavernous silence that followed.

Luke ran his fingers through his hair. 'Sweetheart, I'm sorry. Hey, I didn't mean it like that. I did did want to marry you, it was just... well, it wasn't ideal.' want to marry you, it was just... well, it wasn't ideal.'

'I suppose not,' Poppy said. She turned on her heel and went upstairs. In the bedroom, she sat on the bed, just staring at the wall, too numb to fully come to terms with what she'd always known at some level.

Luke doesn't love me. Well, never mind. Toby does. Luke doesn't love me. Well, never mind...

She wished she could be surer about the Toby bit. Her phone rang. This would be him now! 'h.e.l.lo?' she said nervously.

'Darling, it's me.'

'Oh, hi, Mum.'

'Luke's in trouble isn't he?' Before Poppy could reply, Louise continued. 'And I am so so upset. I've just found out Jean-Claude was in town and he didn't call me.' upset. I've just found out Jean-Claude was in town and he didn't call me.'

'Sorry?'

'I knew he was coming to London and I waited for his call, but nothing, even though I must have left at least five messages on his mobile. And then I tried his hotel and they said he'd checked out that morning, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Men, Poppy! They're all the b.l.o.o.d.y same.'

'I...'

'I feel so let down. I was sure this one was different.'

Luke stuck his head around the door.

'Mum, I'm really sorry, but if he behaved like that, you've got to think he wasn't worthy of you.' Poppy had said it all a trillion times before. 'Listen, I have to go. Luke needs me.'

'The idiot. Swearing on live television. What's going to become of you now, Poppy?'

'I have to go. We'll speak later.' Poppy hung up. 'What is it?'

'I've had a call from work. They want me to go in.'

'Oh. Is that good or bad news?'

'Take a wild guess.'

Even after the conversation they'd just had, Poppy still couldn't help but feel for him. She held out her arms.

'Honey, come here. It will all be all right.'

'It b.l.o.o.d.y won't,' Luke said, not moving. He paused for a moment. 'I'll be back later,' he said, then turned and left the room.

So that was how it was. Poppy breathed deeply, trying to comprehend her new situation. Had Luke really told her it was all over? Did she care? Poppy wasn't sure. It was almost as if she could feel a sh.e.l.l growing round her heart, the sh.e.l.l she'd long yearned to acquire, to protect her from the outside world.

Through the window she could hear the photographers jostling and laughing. Suddenly she couldn't take the claustrophobia any more. She opened her bedside drawer and started leafing through the pile of invitations. Then she picked up her phone.

'Meena? Are you feeling better? Good. Because there's a party tonight that sounds like fun.'

42.

Luke knew how the conversation was going to go. But that didn't make it any more bearable.

'I'm sorry,' Roxanne said. 'I wish it could be different. But the board of governors and I met this morning and we all agree it's too many things. First the swearing on air before the watershed, then your wife's article, then the Bishop of Bellchester stuff. Add that to your ex-wife's column and it's all just too much for the channel. You'll receive a very generous settlement, Luke, and we'll tell the world it was mutual.'

'They'll know it wasn't.'

'That won't be our fault.' She stood up, holding out a slender hand. 'You've been a wonderful anchorman, Luke. I hope we can all retain fond memories of the times we spent together.'

He could barely remember how he left the building, only that he was escorted by security and ushered to a waiting car.

'Where to, sir?' asked the driver.

Luke couldn't think. After their frank exchange, he simply couldn't face going home to Poppy and the paparazzi. He thought of Hannah. Whenever he'd had hiccups in the past, she'd always been there for him with a slice of home-baked cake, a drink and usually a fine b.l.o.w. .j.o.b. What had he been thinking of to throw all that away?

He took his phone out of his pocket and before he could stop himself dialled her number.

'h.e.l.lo. This is Hannah. I'm away, horse riding in India this week. Back on Monday. Leave me a message...'

Luke hung up. Who could he possibly turn to? He needed a friend. Then he remembered. G.o.d, only last night he'd been promising her some kind of future; he'd been so b.l.o.o.d.y nervous. Well, she'd still be there for him this morning. He scrolled down his list of contacts, until he reached the Ts.

In Stockwell, Thea, in pyjamas, was sitting at her kitchen table, spooning jam on to a croissant. She and Jake had spent all morning in bed. They'd had s.e.x three times. It had been good. It had been very good. Lovely, in fact, which was the kind of word Thea usually used to describe a Laura Ashley tissue box given to her by Aunt Morna at Christmas. Jake had told her again and again how gorgeous she was, how much he had the hots for her and, strangely, she believed him. Even now when it felt as if a troupe of tap-dancing mice had decided to perform Chicago Chicago inside her head, she still felt bizarrely cheery. inside her head, she still felt bizarrely cheery.

'How did this happen?' she demanded. 'You know I don't fancy you.'

Jake grinned and picked up the kettle which had just boiled. 'Your behaviour last night made that quite obvious, Ms Mackharven.'

'Hmm.' She frowned. 'I was drunk.'

'So was I. That's what I'm going to tell the police anyway. You took advantage of me.'

'Oh, shut up.' She giggled. 'Can I have a cup of tea, please?'

'How do you like it?'

'How do you think? Milk, no sugar. Obviously.' She yawned. 's.h.i.t, I suppose I'd better pop down to the shops in a minute and get the papers. What happened last night has to be a huge story.' But for once in her life Thea didn't feel like rushing off somewhere. Still, she hadn't had a total lobotomy, so she bent over and plucked her phone from her bag. She'd turned it off last night when the kissing had intensified. Instantly, it began ringing.

'Messages, messages,' she said, hitting the red b.u.t.ton. 'I'll listen to them later. s.h.i.t, I've got about fifty texts as well.' Before she could start scrolling through them, the phone started ringing again. She looked at the screen and her expression changed.

'Oh. It's Luke. I'd better take it.'

Jake looked at her.

'I'd better,' she repeated more defensively, clicking the green b.u.t.ton. 'Hi. What's happened?'

'Don't you know?'

Thea had a pretty good idea. 'No.'

'They've given me the boot. After ten years.'

'Oh Luke, I'm so sorry.' Jake drew a knife across his throat. Thea shook her head and turned her back on him. She didn't like the idea of anyone mocking Luke.

'Can I come over?'

Thea froze. 'I... Well, I'm a bit...'

'It's fine,' Luke snapped. 'Don't worry. Forget I asked.'

Thea looked at Jake, with his little tuft of hair and pointy face, then she thought of Luke and his film-star features. Luke, her friend, her sometimes lover. She'd always been there for him and now he really needed her.

402.

She couldn't turn him away. All right, so maybe he'd used her a bit in the past, but this time it would be different.

'No, wait! That's fine. I'm not busy. Do you want my address?'

'I can remember where you live,' Luke said. 'I'll be with you very shortly.'

She hung up and smiled apologetically at Jake.

'Sorry, but Luke really needs to see me.'

'Are you saying you want me to go?'

'Well,' Thea shrugged, 'I mean, I don't know if you want to be around while we have the post mortem.'

Jake inhaled. 'OK,' he said. 'Though I don't think that's the kindest way to treat someone you've spent the night with.'

Thea felt wounded. 'Jake! I had a great night. We had a laugh.' She knew that was inadequate, that it had been a bit more than a laugh. But. But... 'But Luke's been sacked. He's my friend friend. He needs me.'

'Just your friend? Are you sure?'

The way he looked at her made her fl.u.s.tered. 'Luke and I go way back,' she said defensively. 'He's done a lot for me over the years. The least I can do now is something for him.'

Jake was pulling on his denim jacket emblazoned with a vintage CNDbadge. He was such a student, Thea thought, doing her best to distance herself from him.

'OK,' he said. 'I hear you.'

'Jake, don't be like that.' Thea put her hand on his arm. 'I had a great night, I really did. I...' She cringed at her pleading tone. This wasn't her style but still... 'Please. Can we stay friends?'

403.

'Maybe,' Jake shrugged. 'If you can spare the time from tending to Luke.'

A car was drawing up outside. G.o.d, Luke must have already been on his way when he called. He knew she'd be there for him. A tiny bit of her felt irritated at his presumptuousness, but she decided not to dwell on that.

'OK,' she said briskly. 'Well. See you around, I guess.'

She opened the front door. Jake looked at her for a moment, then shook his head with something like disgust.

'See you around,' he said.

As soon as the door was shut, Thea hurried to the window. Luke was climbing out of a Volvo. b.u.g.g.e.r! Jake came out of the front door and the two men clocked each other. They shook hands. Luke was shaking his head. Jake was obviously commiserating. They might have been exchanging cordial words, but their body language was as hostile as a stand off between a sheriff and some cattle rustlers. Thea watched them. Luke so tall and handsome, Jake so small and... not ugly, but definitely nothing special. But before she had time to consider the choice she'd made, the men were saying goodbye to each other. Jake was heading up the road and Luke was approaching her front door.

Buzzzzzz.

f.u.c.k! Thea dashed into the bedroom. No time for her Frizz-Ease. She pulled a brush through her hair, applied a slash of lipgloss, pulled off her pyjamas and dragged her jeans out of the laundry basket.

Buzzzzz.

'Hi,' she panted.

'Hi.' A pause and then, 'Can I come up?'

404.

'Of course.'

As she pulled a sweatshirt over her head, she heard Luke hurrying up the stairs. She ran to the door and opened it. She wasn't to know it, but Luke's words when he entered the room were almost identical to the ones he'd used to Poppy three years before.

'I've left Poppy. I'm coming to live with you.'

43.

Tonight's party was in a private room in Claridge's.

'What's it for?' asked Abdul, the cab driver.

'I can't remember,' Poppy said.

'But there'll be free drinks?' Meena asked anxiously.