‘I haven’t seen you in ages,’ said Mel, smiling delightedly, despite that she felt a complete mess. She’d just climbed out of the shower when Jade came in to tell her Lisa was here, joking about her being Mark’s frequent texter. Having been attempting to wash the cotton wool from her head, and failing, Mel had been ferreting through her wardrobe in hopes of finding something remotely sexy-looking to wear tonight. She’d given up when she’d seen Jade looking dazzling and thrown her leggings and old T-shirt back on. And now here was Lisa, looking trim and slim in her jeans, her short-cropped hair and huge blue eyes making her look like a little elf – a very attractive one.

Sighing inwardly, Mel brushed her damp hair from her face. She really was going to have to do something with herself. Take some vitamins, or energy pills or something. Go to the gym, or out jogging with Mark. Mel’s heart dipped in her chest as she thought of him. She’d be surprised if he wanted to do anything with her. She’d been horrible to him on the phone. She really had no idea what was wrong with her. She felt like sleeping the clock around. They hadn’t made love since the dreadful day of Hercules’s accident, and Mark hadn’t murmured a word. It was more than he dare do, she supposed, with her so snappy. When she wasn’t sleeping or moaning or yawning, she was working. Or trying to. The blown fuse meant the kiln had stopped working, which had had her wanting to scream. She barely had time for the kids with her sculpture to remake, the casting of which still had to be done, and the orders to fill, which she hadn’t even started on. It was a wonder any of her family wanted anything to do with her. Maybe she should go to the doctor’s, Mel pondered. The thought didn’t appeal. She’d steered clear of doctors and medication, even avoiding painkillers at the worst time of the month, since coming off her medication.

‘My fault.’ Lisa moved to give her a hug as she reached the hall. ‘I’ve been so busy with work and the kids demanding my attention every two seconds. Anyway, I was passing after dropping Anna off at her dance class and I thought no time like the present. How are you?’ Stepping back, Lisa looked her over, her brow furrowed. ‘You look a bit…’

‘A mess, I know.’ Mel smiled and tried not to mind. Lisa tended to say it as it was.

‘Frazzled,’ Lisa finished diplomatically, whilst looking her worriedly over again. ‘Are you okay, lovely?’

‘Yes, fine,’ Mel lied, waving a hand dismissively. ‘It’s a virus, I think. I can’t seem to shake it off. I don’t have an ounce of energy.’

‘Unlike some,’ Lisa observed, as Jade came bounding brightly back down the stairs.

‘Got it.’ She dangled the jacket and headed for the stroller. ‘Come on, angel,’ she said, peering down at Evie and steering her towards the door. ‘Let’s go and get some fresh air and leave Mel to catch up with her friend, shall we?’

‘She’s referring to you as Mel, not Mummy?’ Lisa eyed Mel sideways as Jade tipped the stroller back and headed on out.

‘Slip of the tongue probably.’ Mel smiled in Lisa’s direction, and then scooted to catch up with Jade. ‘Hold on,’ she said, crouching to kiss Evie’s perfect little cupid lips. The baby promptly wriggled and looked fretfully upwards in search of Jade. Trying not to mind that either – she was getting things so out of proportion lately, she’d drive herself as well as everyone else mad – Mel got to her feet, allowing Jade to go on her way.

‘Have you got her water?’ she called after her.

‘Yes.’ Jade waved behind her. ‘And a spare nappy and the sunscreen. We’ll be fine. You worry too much, Mel.’

And lately she was worrying more than ever, when she wasn’t too tired to think at all. Mel really did despair of herself. She had the perfect babysitter. A beautiful house, albeit in a constant state of repair. A good husband, whom she loved, very much. Two perfect kids. Everything in her garden should be rosy. So why did she feel so… down?

‘Pretty, isn’t she?’ Lisa commented, as they watched Jade head jauntily off down the lane. ‘Slim, too. Makes me feel like a flipping heifer.’

Mel laughed at that. ‘In which case I must look like the back end of a bus.’

Lisa looked her over as they walked back in. ‘Hardly,’ she said. ‘You’ve lost weight.’

‘Have I?’ Mel looked down at herself. That was a silver lining in the gloom, she thought, and then she felt her heart sink all over again. Why was she thinking this way? Feeling this way?

‘I take it she’s the new babysitter?’ Lisa enquired, as they walked to the kitchen for coffee and a catch-up. ‘Live in, I gather?’

Information conveyed by Mark, Mel guessed. ‘That’s right. She’d bought Monk’s Cottage just up the lane – moved in with us after it caught fire. It was totally burned out. You must have noticed as you passed.’

She checked the wall clock – aware it might take some time to make herself gorgeous – and then headed for the kettle, as Lisa parked herself on a stool at the kitchen island.

‘I did,’ Lisa said. ‘She was literally on your doorstep then?’

‘Yes.’ Mel spooned coffee into the mugs – or, rather, missed, cursing silently. ‘We hadn’t had much to do with each other really, but with her house going up in flames…’

‘You got talking?’

‘Obviously.’ Coffee successfully made, Mel picked up the mugs and carried them over, without spilling any, thankfully. ‘It was awful. All her worldly goods gone up in smoke. I offered her a roof for the night and, as we’d been considering a babysitter… Well, you could say she fell into our laps. I hate to say it, but the timing couldn’t have been better, to be honest. She’s an absolute godsend.’

‘So Mark says.’ Lisa sounded sceptical. ‘And she’s qualified, presumably?’

‘Of course. She has her childcare qualifications. I wouldn’t have entertained the idea of employing her otherwise.’ Reminded that she hadn’t got around to asking Jade about her references, she dismissed a flicker of guilt. The girl had more than proved herself in Mel’s eyes.

‘Right.’ Lisa nodded. ‘But don’t you mind having another woman around?’

Mel eyed her with amusement. ‘You mean having a pretty young woman around?’

‘Just saying.’ Lisa shrugged.

‘Not all men do what Paul did, Lisa,’ Mel said, kindly, aware that Lisa’s last boyfriend had dumped her for a younger model.

Lisa gave her a look as she dipped into the biscuit barrel. Her ‘Yes, and pigs fly’ look.

Mel wasn’t sure she liked the inference. Cautioning herself not to overreact, she pulled in a breath and reminded herself she’d been doing that a lot recently, reading things into things that weren’t there. She’d even imagined that Jade had had the cat she’d supposedly loved put down. It had taken her ages to ask her. Jade had been horrified. She’d asked a friend to take it in, it turned out. Mel had felt awful.

‘So,’ she said, mustering up a smile, ‘what else have you and Mark been discussing, apart from the attributes of the babysitter?’

Lisa’s eyes flicked to hers. ‘Nothing much. This and that,’ she said vaguely.

‘Such as?’ Mel asked, watching her carefully over the rim of her mug.

Lisa put down her coffee and looked up to eye Mel levelly. ‘He’s worried about you, Mel,’ she said, searching her eyes, a curious look in her own.

‘Oh.’ Definite unease was now gnawing at Mel’s stomach. ‘I see,’ she said, taking stock. ‘So, you’ve been discussing me then, clearly.’

Lisa looked away awkwardly. ‘Well, yes, naturally you come up sometimes. But Mark was only confiding in me out of concern, Mel. He—’

‘Our intimate relationship?’ Mel felt her mouth go dry, her cheeks heat up. ‘Does that come under discussion during these cosy conversations you have?’

‘No!’ Lisa refuted. ‘Mark wouldn’t do that. You know he wouldn’t. He’s just been concerned about you—’

‘You text each other a lot, don’t you?’ Mel cut in angrily. It seemed to her that Lisa knew an awful lot about what Mark would or wouldn’t do. And, clearly, she didn’t. She’d never imagined her husband would discuss their personal details with all and sundry.

Lisa splayed her hands, looking incredulous. ‘Only on work matters. For God’s sake, Mel, you don’t honestly think that I—’

‘Or, rather, you text him.’

‘Oh, come on, Mel.’ Lisa eyed the ceiling. ‘You know very well I only ever text him about work.’

But she didn’t know, did she? She trusted Mark, implicitly. Or she had. There had been something between Lisa and him once, at least Mel had suspected there had. He’d gone out with her, Mel had been sure of it. Her mind raced back to the first time she’d met Mark, when she’d been giving her statement about her ex. ‘Thanks for last night,’ Lisa had said. She’d threaded an arm around his waist as she passed him in the corridor and given him a squeeze. Thanks for last night! Mel had heard her, loud and clear. She’d assumed they’d had a thing. She’d been wrong, or so she’d been led to believe. She’d asked Mark about it, trying to sound casual. Lisa had needed a shoulder, he’d said. Still married to her abusive husband, she’d been having some problems. Yes, and what else had he offered her, Mel thought, fuming now at the obvious lie. Regular little white knight, wasn’t he?

She narrowed her eyes. ‘Did he ask you to come here?’

Lisa didn’t answer. Plainly not knowing how to. Plainly meaning he had.

‘Well, did he?’ Mel demanded, a distinct wobble to her voice.

‘No.’ Lisa sighed, at length. ‘As I said, I was passing. I’m concerned about you, too, you know. I am your friend. I just wanted to check—’ Lisa stopped as her phone beeped inconveniently in her pocket.

Or rather, bang on cue, Mel thought, humiliation bubbling furiously away inside her. That Mark had discussed the intimate details of their relationship at work, even with a supposed friend, was incomprehensible. Who else had he discussed it with? The entire police force? ‘Aren’t you going to check it?’ she asked Lisa, now studying her intently. ‘It might be one of the kids.’

Knowing she had no choice, Lisa reluctantly retrieved her phone.

‘Is it Mark?’ Mel asked, cold certainty gripping her insides.

Lisa checked the text. Again, she didn’t answer. Nor would she meet her gaze.

Mel tried very hard to hold onto her temper. ‘Well?’

Sighing heavily, Lisa closed her eyes and nodded.

Caught in the act. Seething inside, Mel didn’t say anything, but coldly extended her hand.

Lisa waited a beat. ‘We haven’t been discussing anything intimately, Mel,’ she said, reluctantly handing the phone over. ‘Mark was just worried, that was all.’

Ignoring her, Mel took a breath and read the damn text that she didn’t want to see, absolutely didn’t want to read anything into. And her world shifted completely off kilter.