'Two o'clock. Right, I'll be ready. We'll go to the park. He always loves that. See you at two, then, dear. Bye for now.' Susan replaced the receiver firmly. She wouldn't have Karen dictating to her. If and when Louise got in touch, she'd make up her own mind about what to do.

She didn't have long to wait. She was washing up after her lunch when the phone rang. She dried her hands and went to answer it. 'h.e.l.lo, Susan Davies here.'

'Susan, it's me, Louise.'

'Louise. How are you?'

'Not good, I'm afraid. I'm throwing myself on your mercy, Susan,' Louise said. 'Things are not well with the show and I'm back in London. I gave up my flat to go on tour. I have got another in view but the trouble is, it won't be available till the week after next. I know there were a few hiccups last time I was there and I can't apologize enough for the misunderstanding, but could you possibly bear to put up with me for a few days? I've nowhere else to go and I'm throwing myself on your mercy.'

'Well, I suppose it's all right,' Susan said. 'But what about that nice friend of yours; Dianne, isn't it?'

'She's moved her boyfriend in.'

'I see, but she's got two bedrooms, hasn't she? And as you said, it's only for a few days.'

There was a slight hesitation at the other end of the line then Louise said, 'There was a bit of a problem when I left last time. We parted on well, not the best of terms.'

Susan sighed. Clearly Louise had upset her friend. When would she ever learn? 'Well, in that case you'd better come to me,' she said resignedly. 'When do you want to come?'

'Today, if that's all right.'

'Today! When? I'll be out for most of the afternoon but I'll be back about four.'

'OK. Susan thanks. I do appreciate this. I know last time things got a bit fraught and I'm sorry, but it was all a misunderstanding.'

'Never mind that now,' Susan said. 'I'll see you later.' As she replaced the receiver she sighed. G.o.d only knew what Karen would say. Maybe she needn't find out, she told herself; after all, it was only for a few days. Oh well, she'd just have to deal with that when and if it happened.

Karen arrived dead on the stroke of two and refused Susan's offer of a cup of tea.

'I've left Peter's buggy in the hallway downstairs,' she said, handing over the bulging bag containing all his toys and accessories.

'What is this interview you mentioned?' Susan asked.

Karen hesitated. 'Mum, I'm going mad, staying at home with Peter all day. I love him to bits of course and I wouldn't be without him, but I never visualized being a full-time mum. I saw this advert for teachers willing to do some tutoring. It's an agency.'

'And that's where you're going this afternoon?'

'Yes. I telephoned them and I've got an interview this afternoon.'

'Is Simon all right with this?'

'He doesn't know yet.' When she saw her mother shaking her head Karen went on defensively, 'Well, it might all come to nothing so what's the point of telling him?'

'And if it does come to something, I mean?'

'I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.' Karen looked at her watch. 'Look, I'll have to go or I'll miss the interview. Sure you're all right with Peter?'

'Yes, of course. You get off. What time will you be back?'

'I don't really know. By four, I hope.' She bent to kiss Peter. 'See you soon, darling. Be a good boy for Granny. Bye, Mum.' And she whisked out of the door.

Peter loved his outing to the park. They fed the ducks with corn that Susan bought at the park kiosk along with ice cream, and finished up in the children's play area. Peter played happily in the sandpit and then begged to go on the swings. Susan hesitated. He was still very little for the swings. Peter sensed the reason for her anxiety.

'Mummy lets me go on the fwings,' he a.s.sured her. 'She pushes me up to the sky.' He raised one chubby arm as high as it would go, treating his grandmother to his most beguiling smile.

'All right,' Susan said. She lifted him and began to ease his fat little legs into the baby swing but he screwed up his face and struggled.

'Not baby fwing,' he protested. 'Big-boy fwing.'

'No, you might fall and hurt yourself.'

'No! Won't won't!' He began to cry and Susan could see that he was going to have a tantrum. Since Adrey had left, she had noticed that he was more p.r.o.ne to them than before.

'All right, then, don't cry,' she said. 'But you must hold on very tightly and not let go.'

Having got his own way, Peter smiled again and allowed himself to be extricated from the barred swing. The next minute he was seated on the swing next door.

'Push, Granny. Push,' he shouted as Susan gently moved the swing.

Very tentatively, she pushed him a little higher but it wasn't enough for Peter. He twisted round to shout at her again and the next moment he had let go and slipped from the seat. He let out a loud wail as he hit the ground.

Heart in mouth, Susan picked him up and surveyed the damage. His knees were grazed and bleeding. The moment Peter saw this he let out a scream of fear.

'It hurts! Want Mummy!'

Susan lifted him into her arms and put him into the buggy. There was a little first aid hut not far from the play area with a St John's nurse on duty. Taking him there would be quicker than going home. She glanced at her watch as she hurried along, and was concerned to see that it was a quarter past four. She'd better let Karen know she'd be a bit late getting back. Pausing to take out her mobile phone, she pressed in Karen's number but her phone was switched off. With a sigh of frustration she hurried into the first aid hut, hoping it wouldn't take long.

The kindly middle-aged nurse bathed the grazed knees with antiseptic and applied a couple of plasters. 'There,' she said soothingly. 'You're a very brave boy, aren't you? And now you've got two lovely plasters to show off.' She slipped a chocolate b.u.t.ton into Peter's mouth. 'There, no harm done,' she said to Susan. 'Might be as well to put him in the baby swing next time,' she said. 'He's very little to go on the big ones yet.'

'He said his mummy lets him go on the big ones,' Susan said, feeling feeble. The nurse smiled.

'They can be very manipulative, even at this age,' she said. 'Still, no real damage this time.'

When she got back to the flat, Susan found an irate Karen waiting outside the door. 'Oh, Mum, there you are. Where have you been and ...' She spotted the plasters on Peter's knees. 'What's happened?'

Susan was puffing a little as she put a struggling Peter down. 'It's nothing, he fell and grazed his knees,' she said. 'I took him to the first aid hut in the park. That's why we're late.'

'I got p'asters,' Peter announced proudly. 'I went on the big-boy fwing and I falled off.'

Karen stared at her mother in horror. 'Mum! Why didn't you put him in the baby swing? Haven't you got any sense at all?'

'He wouldn't go,' Susan said wearily. 'He said you let him go on the big ones.'

'Of course I don't! He's only three, Mum. What were you thinking?'

'I tried to ring you,' Susan said as she put her key in the door, 'but your phone was switched off.'

'Well, of course it was,' Karen snapped. 'I wouldn't leave it on when I was in an interview, would I?'

'Well, Peter's all right, Karen, and please stop shouting at me for all the neighbours to hear.' Inside the door she turned to her daughter. 'After all that, did you get the job?'

Karen's expression brightened a little. 'As a matter of fact, it does look hopeful but they said they'd let me know.' As Susan went into the kitchen to fill the kettle she called out, 'No tea for me, Mum. I'd better get going. Simon will be home soon.'

She was gathering up Peter's things ready to leave when there was a ring at the bell. She called out, 'Are you expecting anyone?'

Suddenly Susan remembered Louise and her heart sank. Before she could say anything Karen was calling, 'It's OK, Mum. I'll get it.'

In the kitchen Susan held her breath then Karen's outraged voice confirmed her worst fear Louise had arrived.

'What the h.e.l.l are you doing here? Your b.l.o.o.d.y nerve after last time! You're not welcome here, Louise, so you can turn right round and get back to where ...'

'It's all right. I said she could stay,' Susan put in calmly, standing behind Karen at the door. 'Let her in, Karen. It's only for a few days.'

Karen stared at her mother. 'You have to be joking! Well, on your own head be it!' She stood aside and allowed Louise to walk into the flat. 'What new drama has she cooked up this time?' she asked. 'What tale of woe has she conned you with now, Mum? Well, don't expect any further help from me.'

Susan bridled. 'If you get that job, Karen, I daresay it'll be you, wanting help from me.'

Karen opened her mouth to say something then closed it again. Bending down, she picked up Peter and his bag and headed for the door, but as she opened it an irate Simon stood outside, about to ring the bell.

'Oh, so there you are!' he said, his voice deep with anger.

'Simon!' Karen looked deflated. 'You'd better come in.'

Simon stepped inside and closed the door behind him. 'You might be interested to hear that you've got the job!' he growled. 'The job you applied for behind my back. I'd just got in when they rang on the landline said they'd been trying your mobile but it was switched off.'

Karen put Peter down. 'I didn't want to tell you until I was sure I'd got it,' she said.

'Can you imagine what a fool I felt, not knowing what they were talking about? And just what do you propose to do with our son while you're doing this job?' he demanded. 'I understand from the agency that you've announced that you're free to work daytimes, as well as out of hours. Did you even tell them that you have a child?'

Karen threw a look of appeal towards her mother. 'Mum said she'd babysit.'

'As she's done today, I suppose. So you're in on this too, Susan?'

Susan shook her head. 'Like you, I knew nothing about it until today.'

For the first time Simon looked down at his son. 'Look at him. He's filthy and what's wrong with his legs?' he demanded.

'He tumbled and grazed his knees,' Karen said defensively. 'You know he's always doing it.'

'Granny let me go on the big-boy fwing.' Peter said proudly. 'I fell off an' I got p'asters!'

Glaring at his wife Simon said, 'What are you thinking about, Karen? You know she's past it. Something always happens when she has him. And here you are, willing to risk our son's safety for some two-bit cramming job. My G.o.d! What kind of mother are you?' Suddenly he noticed Louise, who had made herself at home on the sofa. He pointed at her. 'What is she doing here?' he demanded. He looked at Karen, who was close to tears. 'Can't you see now what a fool your mother is, letting that devious cow back again after the trouble she always causes?' He picked Peter up. 'I'm out of here!' he shouted. 'You'd better come too, Karen if you put any value at all on your son and our marriage, which I doubt!'

When they'd gone, the flat suddenly felt to Susan as though all the air had been sucked out of it. She sighed and sank down onto the sofa next to Louise.

'Oh, dear.'

Louise, who had enjoyed every minute of the little drama played out before her, smiled sympathetically at her stepmother. 'Wow! He was in a right strop, wasn't he?'

'He wants Karen to be a full-time mother until Peter goes to school. It's not much to ask really, is it? Although she shouldn't have gone behind his back like that.'

'Personally, I'm on Karrie's side.'

Susan glanced at her. 'Well, you would be, wouldn't you?'

'I can't believe you can be so charitable about Simon after what he said about you!'

'He was angry,' Susan said. 'We all say things we don't mean when we lose our tempers. He's probably regretting it already.'

Louise shrugged. 'Generous of you to be so understanding. He needs dragging into the twenty-first century if you ask me. Other women go back to work after having a child so why should he think his wife is above all that? You wouldn't catch me putting up with that kind of bullying.'

'No, I daresay.' Susan looked at her stepdaughter for the first time since her arrival. 'What brings you here, Louise? You didn't go into details on the phone, except to say that it was something to do with the show.'

Louise had done a lot of thinking on the train coming up. There was no way she could admit to Susan that she'd been conned out of her father's legacy and she had no intention of losing face about her career rise either. 'Just a hitch with the bookings,' she lied. 'There would have been a long gap between the tour and the West End opening so we're taking a bit of time out now instead.'

'Oh, well, that's nice,' Susan said. 'I'm afraid it will have to be the sofa again.'

'That's OK.' I'm getting used to sofas, she thought. She looked at Susan. 'I'm sorry I put my foot in it with your chap,' she said. 'But I expect you've kissed and made up by now, eh?'

Susan shook her head. 'Ted? No. I couldn't keep seeing a man who could be so deceitful.' She glanced at Louise. 'What about you? Are you seeing anyone special at the moment?'

Louise was reminded sharply of Mark and his betrayal. Had he been seeing this other woman all the time and stringing her along? She winced, remembering the previous night and Cathy's obvious loathing of her. She couldn't help thinking that Mark must have been talking to his sister about her complaining about the way she'd treated him all those years ago when they were at drama school. Surely she must realize that they'd all grown up since then?

'Louise!' Susan prompted. 'Are you all right?'

'Yes, of course I am,' Louise quickly pushed her negative thoughts away. 'You asked if I was seeing anyone. I was, but like your Ted, he turned out to be devious and two-timing.'

'I'm sorry to hear that. Was it the young chap you were at drama school with?'

Louise remembered now that she'd told Susan about Mark the last time she was here.

'No,' she lied. 'Someone new.'

'Oh dear, you don't have much luck with men, do you? Were you in love with him?'

The question threw Louise slightly. 'No, not really,' she said. 'Whatever love is.'

Susan patted her hand. 'Well, you'll soon be busy with your exciting new play. Once you're away on tour, you'll soon forget him.'

Louise cringed inwardly. If only that were true. She turned to look at her stepmother. 'All that business with Karen and Simon last time I was here. It really was a misunderstanding, you know. I didn't intend to make trouble between them.'

'Well, it's all water under the bridge now,' Susan said. She got up from the sofa. 'I daresay you're hungry and I haven't even offered you a cup of tea. I'll make one now. The kettle has boiled.'

'So am I forgiven?' Louise asked. 'For Ted, I mean.'

Susan sighed. 'As I said it's over and done with but I can't say I don't miss him, as I expect you miss your boyfriend too. Come and help me start supper and you can tell me all about this wonderful musical you're going to star in.'

Louise got up and followed her into the kitchen. For the first time she realized that she was going to miss Mark. Underneath the anger she already did a lot. Did that mean that her feelings for him went deeper than she'd meant them to? Were you in love? She'd always considered love to be a myth something for films and books. Certainly an emotion she'd never experienced. l.u.s.t, maybe infatuation, but love? No, surely not. She watched Susan bustling around, making tea and getting out the biscuit tin. If only her life could be as uncomplicated as hers.