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‘You don’t need to apologise if so’s upset you,’ Lizzie insisted ‘What on earth has happened? You never cry—’

Fortunately Lizzie had not been exposed to Chrissie’s grief two years earlier once it had finally dawned on her that Jaul was not returning to the UK It had been a matter of pride to Chrissie that she should not distress her otherwise happy sister with the sad tale of how she had screwed up her own life She had put a brave face on her abandonhtly and always une e responsibility for the babies she’d carried

‘You don’t need the creepyou don’t need anyone but Cesare and ly and she had asked no further questions

Now as Chrissie bit back the sobs clogging her throat she was faced with the reality that as she had never told her sister about Jaul, she had to do it now E up inside her from the very moment Jaul had appeared at her front door Her past had pierced the present and ly sad h the gap in her defences and hurting her all over again

‘For goodness’ sake,’ Lizzie exclaie her into the drawing room with its comfortable blue sofas and sleek pale contemporary furniture

Cesare was talking on hiswith concern when he registered the tear-stained distress stamped on his sister-in-law’s face

‘I was just about to tell you that o out clubbing with theht—’

Chrissie tried to force a sot on like a house on fire with Cesare’s younger sisters, Sofia and Maurizia, and the three woht not be good company—’

Lizzie pressed her gently down onto a sofa ‘Tell —’

Chrissie groaned ‘I can’t I’ve been such an idiot otherwise I would’ve told you years ago You won’t believe how stupid I’ve been and now I don’t knohat to do—’

‘Starting at the beginning usually helps,’ Cesare incised

‘The twins’ father has turned up,’ Chrissie revealed tautly ‘And he says we need a divorce, which doesn’t make sense after what his father—’

Cesare stopped dead to skilance ‘You were married to the twins’ father?’

‘My goodness, I certainly didn’t see that co down on an otto back over the years to acknowledge that Lizzie had been a better h Lizzie was only five years older than Chrissie

‘Right, the beginning,’ Chrissie reminded herself in receipt of a wry appraisal fro about’

And Chrissie tried with so she had known Jaul without ever getting to know him properly

‘But you never evertone of disbelief ‘You knew him all the time you were at uni and yet you never told me about him!’

Chrissie reddened fiercely, quite unable to describe howbefore she’d ever actually got involved with hi to hi him if he had been more than usually keen to press his interest in her What she had never ever contrived to be with Jaul was indifferent When he wasn’t there, she had found herself looking for hilimpse of hi it and when he had reappeared she would study hi alone could revive her energies

In many ways Jaul had been her most secret and private fantasy She could never ever have explained their relationship to her sister without feeling rateful that she had kept hi Jaul ho, she had ended up conant Lizzie had been very hurt on Chrissie’s behalf when their father had said he didn’t want his unhter to visit, but Chrissie had feltthe sister she had always idolised, the big sister who hadleft school at sixteen to work on their father’s farot a further education or the chance to be young and carefree for even a few years