“Mrs. Brandon!” A stunningly beautiful woman with long, vivid red hair comes forward, her hand outstretched. “Welcome to the Holistic Birth Center.”

“Hi!” I beam at her. “Call me Becky.”

Wow. Venetia Carter looks like a movie star! She’s far younger than I expected, and slighter. She’s wearing a fitted Armani trouser suit and a crisp white shirt and her hair is drawn off her face with a chic tortoiseshell band.

“I’m so glad to meet you, Becky.” Her voice is all silvery and melodious, like the Good Witch of the North. “Sit down, and we can have a nice talk.”

She’s wearing vintage Chanel pumps, I notice as I sit down. And look at that gorgeous yellow topaz strung round her neck on a silver wire.

“I want to thank you for fitting me in at such a late stage,” I say in a rush as I hand over my medical file. “I really appreciate it. And I love your shoes!”

“Thank you!” She smiles. “So, let’s have a look. You’re twenty-three weeks pregnant…first baby…” Her manicured finger is running down Dr. Braine’s notes. “Any problems with your pregnancy? Is there a reason you’ve left your previous medical care?”

“I just wanted a more holistic approach,” I say, leaning forward earnestly. “I’ve been reading your brochure and I think all your treatments sound amazing.”

“Treatments?” Her pale brow wrinkles.

“Births, I mean,” I amend quickly.

“Well, now.” Venetia Carter takes a cream file from a drawer, picks up a silver fountain pen, and writes Rebecca Brandon on the front in a flowing italic script. “There’s plenty of time to decide which approach to the birth you want. But first, let me find out more about you. You’re married, I understand?”

“Yes.” I nod.

“And is your husband coming today? Mr. Brandon, would it be?”

“He should be here.” I click my tongue apologetically. “He’s just having a quick business meeting outside in the car. But he’ll be here soon.”

“That’s fine.” She lifts her head and smiles, her teeth all perfect and shiny white. “I’m sure your husband’s very excited about having a baby.”

“Oh, he is!” I’m just about to tell her all about having our first scan, when the door opens.

“Mr. Brandon is here,” says the receptionist, and Luke strides in, saying, “Sorry, sorry, I know I’m late—”

“There you are, Luke!” I say. “Come and meet Dr. Carter.”

“Please!” She laughs again. “Call me Venetia — everyone does.”

“Venetia?” Luke has stopped dead and is staring at Venetia Carter as though he can’t believe his eyes. “Venetia? Is that you?”

Venetia Carter’s mouth drops open.

“Luke?” she says. “Luke Brandon?”

“Do you two know each other?” I say in astonishment.

For an instant, neither speaks.

“We were at Cambridge,” Luke says at last. “Years ago. But…” He rubs his forehead. “Venetia Carter. Did you get married or something?”

“I changed my surname by deed poll,” Venetia says with a rueful smile. “Wouldn’t you?”

“What was your name before you changed it?” I ask politely, but neither of them seems to hear me.

“How many years is it?” Luke still looks thunderstruck.

“Too long. Far too long.” She runs a hand through her hair and it falls back into place in a perfect red waterfall. “Do you still see any of the old Browns gang? Like Jonathan? Or Matthew?”

“Lost touch.” Luke shrugs. “You?”

“I kept up with very few of them while I was in the States. But now that I’m back in London, some of us meet up whenever we can.” She’s interrupted by a bleeping sound from her pocket. She reaches for a pager and switches it off. “Excuse me, I just need to make a call. I’ll pop next door.”

As she disappears I look at Luke. His face is all lit up as though it’s Christmas Day.

“You know Venetia?” I say. “That’s amazing!”

“Isn’t it?” He shakes his head incredulously. “She was part of a crowd I used to know at Cambridge. Of course, she was Venetia Grime back then.”

“Grime?” I can’t help a giggle.

“Hardly the best name for a doctor.” He grins back. “I’m not surprised she changed it.”

“And did you know her well?”

“We were at the same college.” Luke nods. “She was always incredibly bright, Venetia. Incredibly talented. I always knew she’d do well in life.” He breaks off as the door opens and Venetia returns.

“I’m so sorry about that!” She comes round and sits on the front of her desk, one long Armani-clad leg crossed casually over the other. “Where were we?”

“I was just saying to Luke what a coincidence it was!” I say. “You and he already knowing each other.”

“Isn’t it extraordinary?” She gives her silvery laugh. “Out of all the hundreds of patients I’ve had, I’ve never before had one married to an ex-boyfriend!”

My smile freezes slightly on my face.

Ex-boyfriend?

“I was just trying to remember how long we dated for, Luke,” she adds. “Was it a year?”

They dated for a year?

“I don’t remember,” says Luke easily. “Long time ago.”

Hang on. Just hang on a minute. Rewind. I seem to have missed a step here.

Venetia Carter used to be Luke’s girlfriend at Cambridge? But…he’s never referred to her. I’ve never even heard of a Venetia before.

I mean…not that it matters or anything. Why would it matter? I’m not the kind of person who gets hung up on old girlfriends from the past. I’m naturally a very nonjealous person. In fact, I probably won’t even mention it.

Or maybe I will, just casually.

“So, darling, I don’t remember you ever talking about Venetia,” I say to Luke with a relaxed little laugh. “Isn’t that funny?”

“Don’t worry, Becky.” Venetia leans forward with a confidential air. “I know quite well, I was never the love of Luke’s life.”

I feel a warm glow of delight inside me. “Oh, right,” I say, trying to look modest. “Well—”

“That was Sacha de Bonneville,” she adds.

What? What?

Luke’s love of his life wasn’t bloody Sacha de Bonneville! It was me! His wife!

“Apart from you, of course, Becky!” she exclaims, with an apologetic peal of laughter. “I was just talking about back then. In the Browns crowd. Anyway.” Venetia throws back her radiant hair and picks up her file and pen again. “Back to the birth!”

“Yes,” I say, regaining my composure. “Well, I was thinking about maybe having one of the water births with lotus flowers—”

“You should come along one evening, by the way, Luke,” Venetia says, cutting me off. “See some of the old gang.”

“I’d love to!” says Luke. “We’d love to, wouldn’t we, Becky?”

“Yes,” I say after a pause. “Fab idea.”

“Sorry to interrupt, Becky.” Venetia smiles at me. “Do carry on. A water birth, you were saying?”



We’re in there for another twenty-five minutes, talking about vitamins and blood tests and a load of other stuff. But to be truthful, my mind’s not really on the job.

I’m trying to concentrate, but all these distracting images keep coming into my head. Like Luke and Venetia all dressed up in Cambridge student gear, kissing passionately on a punt. (Do I mean a punt? Or a gondola? The boat thing with a pole, anyway.)

And then I keep picturing him running his hands through her long red hair. And murmuring, “Venetia, I love you.”

Which is just stupid. I bet he never told her he loved her.

I bet…a thousand quid.

“Becky?”

“Oh!” I come to and suddenly realize the appointment is over. Both Luke and Venetia are standing up, waiting for me.

“So, you’ll do a birth plan for me, Becky?” Venetia says as she opens the door.

“Absolutely!”

“Nothing too complicated!” She smiles. “I’d just like to get a general picture of how you envisage the birth. And Luke, I’ll give you a call. I know some of the old crowd would love to see you.”

“Great!” His face is animated as he kisses her on each cheek. Then the door closes and we’re walking back down the corridor.

I’m not sure what Luke’s thinking.

I’m not entirely sure what I’m thinking, to be honest.

“Well,” Luke says at last. “Very impressive. Very, very impressive.”

“Um…yes!”

“Becky.” Luke suddenly stops dead. “I want to apologize. You were right and I was wrong.” He shakes his head. “I’m sorry I was so negative about coming here. You’re right: I was prejudiced and stupid. But you’ve completely made the right decision.”

“Right.” I nod several times. “So…so you think we should go with Venetia?”

“Absolutely!” He laughs, puzzled. “Don’t you? Isn’t this your dream come true, coming here?”

“Er…yes,” I say, folding my Alternative Pain Relief Options leaflet into smaller and smaller quarters. “Of course it is.”

“Sweetheart. Darling.” Luke suddenly has a concerned frown. “If you’re feeling at all threatened by my old relationship with Venetia, let me assure you—”

“Threatened?” I cut him off brightly. “Don’t be ridiculous! I don’t feel threatened.”

Maybe I do feel a tad threatened. But how can I say that to Luke?

“Good, you’re still here!” Venetia’s silvery voice travels down the corridor and I look round to see her approaching, a clipboard in hand. “You must collect your welcome pack before you go, Becky! We have all sorts of goodies for you. And there was another thing I wanted to mention—”

“Venetia.” Luke cuts her off midstream. “Let me be frank. We were just discussing the fact of…our previous relationship. And I’m not sure Becky feels comfortable with it.” He takes my hand and I clasp his gratefully.

Venetia exhales and nods.

“Of course,” she says. “Becky, I completely understand. If you feel at all uncomfortable, then you should certainly consider going elsewhere. I won’t be offended!” She gives me a friendly smile. “All I can say is…I’m a professional. If you do decide to remain under my care, I’ll help you achieve the very best birth experience I can. And, just in case you were really anxious”—her eyes twinkle at me—“I do have a boyfriend!”