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CHAPTER ONE

‘ONLY eight weeks till Christ to coht be nice if you tried to make it on Christmas Eve and then stayed over for the New Year’

Her mother’s voice held the sort of briskness that said she wasn’t going to take no for an answer Miria several days with her ed on night about what happened at Christ intensely careful not to mention it Or ask any personal questions Or behave naturally

Miriam took a deep breath ‘I’m sorry but I shan’t be around this Christmas’

‘Won’t be around?’ Anne Brown’s voice sharpened ‘What does thatto sit and mope in that awful little bedsit, are you?’

‘It’s not an awful little bedsit and no, I’ to Switzerland, as it happens Skiing’

‘Skiing?’ Her mother’s voice was so shrill Miriam winced and held the phone away from her ear ‘You can’t ski’

‘I’ to learn,’ Miriam said patiently

‘When was this decided?’

‘Clara and I got our tickets yesterday’

‘Clara? I ht have known she’d be at the bottom of this’ Now her mother’s voice was overtly hostile

Enough was enough ‘Actually it wasto do, and she asked if she could co I think it was because she feels like you and doesn’t want me to be without coe to it Her mother had only met Clara once on the day Miriairl’s mauve spiky hair, panda eye make-up and Gothic clothes, not to s, had labelled her a bad influence as far as Anne was concerned In truth Clara was one of the funniest, enerous people Miriaot through the past ten months without her

Her mother sniffed Eloquently ‘Well, you would say that, wouldn’t you? Does Jay know you’re thinking of spending Christmas in Switzerland?’

Don’t lose your temper She loves you and she’s concerned, besides which you don’t want her to do the wobbly-voiced long-suffering- a calmness she didn’t feel into her voice, Miria or not doing, Mother?’

‘Because he’s your husband, of course’

‘In naht as well know I’ to ask him for a divorce soon’ She didn’t knohy she hadn’t done it before except she hadn’t wanted to contact him and face all the hoo-ha that would result It had been easier to pretend he didn’t exist while she licked her wounds and atteain her equilibrium Which she had done now She was much, much better, she assured herself silently Back to normal really

‘So you’re still determined not to believe him?’

How many times had they had this conversation since the day she had walked out of her beautiful marital home and into the bedsit? Too many Miriaoing nowhere and I’ you at the weekend, OK? Love you’

She turned off her mobile Her mother wouldn’t like it, of course, but it would be her poor stepfather ould have to put up with the ot the hter in the world’ scenario