‘Donovan, that singer from way back - didn’t he always wear a cap of some sort, vaguely French?’

‘Born in Scotland, apparently’

‘Oh yeah?   Certainly lived in Hatfield for a bit - went to the same place as my boyfriend of the time, Hatfield Poly.’

‘Gentle sort of songs, had an obsession with yellow didn’t he?’

‘Guitarist too.   Wouldn’t say it was an obsession as such, certainly there was a succession of songs with yellow in them - ‘Colours’, ‘Mellow Yellow’ and…

‘I knew it was a lie but thought I’d give you the benefit of the doubt.’

Not a voice she recognised.   Educated, citified, by which she meant (probably, she’d need to look it up) ‘supercilious’ and she pictured a narrow face, flat dark hair, sharp features, pointed nose.   Not exactly an archetypal villain, more someone who could pass, much of the time, as the romantic lead, until All Was Revealed and he appeared in his true colours.   And not a man she would have…

His words kept echoing in her head:  ‘I’m at the age where I need to think about settling down, family, something more for my future … so, I’m sorry Susannah, but I don’t think this … affair should continue.   And for your sake too - you have a husband, and yes I hear what you say about his … problems, but your son doesn’t need the disruption that I’m sure you and I would bring if we let this continue.’  

Three hours ago, that’s what he’d told her,…

Once they’d given their order silence fell, before Baz, at last looking fully at her, senses now under control and fully engaged, asked ‘You were following me?’

‘Yes.   I’ve been trying to track you down for days.  Weeks even.   This was the first time I’d been able to follow and see you go into somewhere I didn’t think you could easily escape from.   More often than not I’ve not seen hide nor hair of you.’

‘I’ve been away … You’ve lost weight?’

‘Yes.    Puking.    Lots…