‘Cocktail?’ asked Fiona, flourishing the menu.

‘Umm…’ Dominique already felt rosy from the glasses of wine they’d had at the hairdresser’s.

‘Go on, it’s Christmas.’

‘Why not? You’re a bad influence.’

‘Didn’t take much, though, did it?’ Fiona gave her best Sid James chortle, which set Dominique off.

‘Well, I’ll show my good side by insisting we have one as our dessert, rather than start lunch off this way. Anyway, don’t you have clients to see this afternoon?’

Fiona pulled a face, shaking her head. ‘Wading through paperwork. Got a celeb divorce going through; a biggie. It hasn’t even hit the news yet, so we’re trying to sort as much as we can before that happens. Because when it does, both sides will start getting stubborn in order to save face. There’ll be tit-for-tat articles written in magazines; they’ll start believing what’s been printed… Eurgh, it’ll get messy. But I’ll do it tomorrow.’

Dominique knew better than to ask her discreet friend who she represented, even though curiosity prodded her. ‘Working the weekend again.’

‘As per.’

‘And you talk about Benjamin…’

Fiona gave her a look that penetrated Dominique’s humour and made it deflate gently. ‘I do. Because he has a family and someone who loves him. I don’t have to please anyone but myself, so I can be selfish without it impacting on anyone but me. If I did, I’d change my lifestyle.’ She moved her side plate out of the way, and leaned forward on the table. ‘So, are you going to tell me what he’s done? Is he still working crazy hours?’

‘Yes. But Benjamin owns his own business, and you know what that takes. I can hardly criticise him for that. He hasn’t done anything wrong. Honestly—’

‘When people say that they’re always lying—’

‘Honestly,’ Dominique repeated.

Fiona’s hawk eyes pounced on her friend’s hand. Dominique was rubbing at her right forearm again, at the twin silver lines hidden beneath her sleeve. She stopped instantly. Sighed.

‘It’s Ruby, if you must know. She’s so angry all the time.’

‘Typical teenager. Remember what we were like?’

The mum’s fingers twitched to dismiss the comment. ‘We were never like this. The way she looks at me sometimes, it’s pure loathing. And she’s always telling me she hates me.’

‘Oh, I must have said that to my mum a hundred times when I was a teen. I was a bloody nightmare.’

‘I wasn’t though.’

Fiona shrugged while laying her napkin across her lap. ‘Maybe she takes after Benjamin more than you. Just a sec: hi, could we order drinks, please? A bottle of sparkling water, and two glasses, and… a bottle of the Cabernet Sauvignon? Yes, that one, please.’

After getting the go-ahead from Dominique, Fiona pointed to her choice on the menu, and the waiter made a note as she added that they weren’t ready to order food quite yet. Dominique always let people order for her, she realised; whether Benjamin or her best friend, she deferred. People tended to think of her as aloof, but her ice queen act was strictly for those who didn’t know her. Not that she let many people in; too scared to reveal the vulnerability behind the show of strength.

‘Sorry, you were saying… You think Ruby’s behaviour is worse?’ Fiona checked.

Dominique toyed with the stem of her empty wine glass, twirling it between her fingers and staring at it rather than her friend.

‘It’s nothing major. Just rebellious. Sneaking out, not doing as she’s told. Barely speaking to us, and when she does it’s only to answer back or shout. She never smiles any more. Remember how good she used to be with Mouse? Now all she does is yell at her little sister. I’ve tried talking to her, suggested we go shopping together as a treat, but she’s not interested.’

‘Rolled her eyes?’ Fiona did a good impression of a surly teenager.

‘Spot on, that,’ Dominique snorted, despite herself. ‘It’s like she’s taken possession of your body.’

‘God, I wouldn’t go back to being a teenager for all the tea in China.’

‘No, me neither…’ Dominique trailed off awkwardly, and Fiona reached out and squeezed her hand.

‘No, of course you wouldn’t. You mentioned Ruby’s been sneaking out. Do you know where to? Who with? I suppose, on the plus side, at least you know she’s made friends at this new school. That’s got to be a good sign.’

‘If she has, we never see them or hear anything about them.’ Dominique paused as the waiter appeared with their drinks. Only after he had poured for them and disappeared again did she continue. ‘She has made one particular friend though. A boy – a boyfriend, in fact – called Harry.’

‘Oh? From your tone, I take it you don’t approve?’

‘He’s fine. He’s absolutely fine. I’ve only met him a handful of times, but he’s always very polite.’

Fiona didn’t say a word, waiting for Dominique to continue. Silence stretched on. Dom picked up her menu and pretended to read it, even though she knew it off by heart. Fiona idly ran a finger up her glass of water, creating a stripe in the condensation.

Dom caved first, filling the silence.

‘There’s something about him I don’t trust. I can’t put my finger on it. Ruby is absolutely head over heels, though. Thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread.’ It came out in a rush, and she knew she sounded unreasonable. Jealous even. Which was ridiculous. Why on earth would she be jealous of her teenage daughter?

She could remember when she and Benjamin had been young and in love, though. When each had been the centre of the other’s world. When they were young and broke and didn’t care a jot as long as they had each other; well before they had become ensnared by the trappings of success.

‘I take it they go to the same school.’

Dominique nodded. Looked at the menu until she realised she had been staring at the words parfait au foie de volaille for two minutes. She put her menu down with a tut of impatience.

Time to admit the truth.

‘Okay, I know I’m going to sound like a snob, but he’s not the sort of person I want my daughter hanging around with. His family is on benefits, they live in a council flat – not that there’s anything wrong with it, I simply want more for her than that.’

‘Well, it’s not like they’re getting married.’

‘You haven’t seen the way she is around him,’ Dom snapped. She stabbed her index finger repeatedly onto the table as she spoke, wrinkling the red tablecloth. ‘It’s as though the whole universe revolves around him. “Harry this, Harry that.” It’s like she’s lost the ability to think for herself. It’s – it’s suffocating. That’s what it is. Claustrophobic. They spend every second they can together, too.’

‘Okay.’ Fiona’s tone was low, neutral, the voice of a lawyer. Her eyes darted left and she gave the tiniest shake of her head. Dom followed her gesture, and saw their waiter backing away.

‘Forget it, I’m overreacting, I know. Honestly.’

That word again. Fiona blinked at it, the only sign that she knew her friend was lying.

‘I just thought Ruby’s behaviour would improve once she started at this new school; after all, she got what she wanted. And it did – for a short time she seemed happier, more relaxed, smiled again. Then she started dating this Harry, and suddenly she’s worse than ever.’

‘You mentioned something about where he lives…?’

‘Woolwich.’

‘Okay, I’m sure you’ve heard bad things about the area. Violence, knife crime, drugs – but bear in mind that it’s changed a lot in the last couple of years. Half the horror stories come from people who’ve never set foot there. Having said that, some of the most deprived areas of the UK are in SE18. All I’m saying is, get to know the boy before making up your mind about him. Besides, he and Ruby are a phase, a teenage crush, that’s all. This time next month it will have burned itself out.’

For all those reassuring words, the ones sticking out were the bad ones: violence, knife crime, drugs, deprived. Even the smallest chance Ruby was near that sort of thing was a risk too far for Dominique. Keen to change the uncomfortable subject, she gave a swift nod.

‘Absolutely; they’ll never last. Now then, what are you ordering?’

‘Usual. You?’

‘Usual.’

With a wave of her hand, Dominique caught the attention of the waiter. Within minutes, the two women were laughing again. Dominique was being paranoid about the influence her daughter’s new boyfriend had over her. That was all. Like she was being paranoid about her husband hiding things, and that someone was following her.