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‘May I come in?’ Steven pressed when the polite small talk about her parents’ little holiday had dried up and she was rather hoping he would take the hint and leave

‘Nicky’s still up,’ Jemima warned him

‘How’s the little chap doing?’ Steven enquired with his widest, fakest smile

‘Well, his fatherto That she had admitted that much to Steven was evidence of how much emotional turmoil she was in because once she had realised howresponsibility for Julie’s son she had stopped confiding in the tall blond man

Steven took a seat with the casual inforular visitor A handsome dentist with a lucrative line in private patients, her ex ell liked by all Jemima, however, was rather less keen She had believed she loved Steven for years and had fully expected to marry him before Julie came into their lives

‘Yes, he’s good-looking and he could givehim,’ Julie had told her squarely

But Jemima hadn’t wanted to keep Steven by default and once she’d realised how infatuated he ith her twin she had set him free Of course, as a couple, Steven and Julie hadn’t suited, as Jemima had suspected at the outset Her sister and her ex had enjoyed a short-lived fling, nothing ainst hi found her colourful, lively sister more attractive? No, what annoyed Jely convinced that he could talk his way back into Jeone Steven had no sensitivity whatsoever

‘His father?’ Steven echoed on a rising note of interest ‘Tell me more’

Jemima told him about her visitors but withheld the infor threat, reluctant to give Steven another opportunity to trash her sister’s memory

‘That’s the best news I’ve heard in weeks!’ Steven exclai intently on her flushed face ‘I ad him isn’t practical in your circumstances’

‘Sos aren’t practical,’ Jemima countered quietly