She took a deep breath and fixed a smile on her face. She hadn’t seen him to talk to since that fraught meeting in her sitting room the previous year.‘Terence, how are you?’ she greeted him politely. ‘Isn’t it great news about Valerie and the baby? Thank God it all went well for her. We’re going up to see them tomorrow. We’re hoping to have a christening party for the baby, and you and Carmel will be most welcome to come,’ she added magnanimously. She felt she had to invite him. It would be incredibly rude not to.‘Hello, Tessa,’ Terence said coldly.‘Have you gone up to see them yet? Jeff said Carmel had been up earlier today.’ Tessa knew she was prattling.‘No, I haven’t,’ he said stiffly.‘Oh!’ she said. ‘Well, of course, you were at work.’‘Nor do I plan to,’ he added dourly. ‘When I said I was washing my hands of the whole affair, I meant it. And I won’t be coming to any party, thank you.’‘Oh, Terence!’ Tessa exclaimed, dismayed. ‘What a shame to feel like that.
