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late. I really thought that this time was it.’ She pursed her lips tightly.
    â€˜Have you been to see anyone?’
    â€˜I’ve had a checkup – they’ve looked at my tubes, everything seems to be working fine. Mark’s had his sperm count done –he’s producing enough to impregnate the entire population of China.’
    â€˜Why didn’t you tell me about this?’
    â€˜I don’t know.’ She slopped some more wine into her glass. ‘It just makes me feel so bloody inadequate. I was hoping to surprise you with the really good news that you were going to be a godmother.’ She shrugged. ‘We have to take my temperature every day, fill out a chart, pick the right days of the month to make love.’ She looked at Monty forlornly. ‘I’m worried I might never have children.’
    â€˜I don’t think you should start worrying yet,’ Monty said. ‘There’s tons of things you can do – infertility treatments are very sophisticated now.’
    Anna nodded. ‘The doctor wants to put me on a drug called Maternox.’
    â€˜Maternox?’ Monty repeated. ‘Yes – that’s the one everyone takes these days. It’s meant to be the best. That’s probably all you need.’
    Anna stood up and opened the door of the oven. The tantalizing aroma of lasagne filled the room. She closed the door and sat back down. ‘Another ten minutes. Anyway, how’s you?’
    â€˜I’m OK.’
    â€˜Listen, there’s a friend of Mark’s I want to try to get youtogether with – his wife has just left him – and he’s really nice, I mean seriously nice. Very dishy.’
    â€˜So why did his wife leave him?’
    â€˜She’s a bloody fool. I’ll arrange a dinner party some time in the next month – I think you’d like him.’
    â€˜What does he do?’
    â€˜He’s a laywer – one of the big City firms.’
    The prospect did not immediately appeal. Although Monty was hugely fond of Anna and liked her arty friends, she invariably found Mark’s friends dull and only interested in themselves. ‘Sure,’ she said flatly.
    â€˜He’s fun, you’ll be impressed. You will!’
    â€˜What’s his name?’
    â€˜Martin Meads.’
    Martin Meads
. Monty repeated the name silently in her head. It did not do much for her.
Mrs Martin Meads
. That did even less.
Mrs Monty Meads
. No better. ‘Sure,’ she said. ‘Why not?’
    â€˜Hey, by the way,’ Anna changed the subject abruptly, ‘I saw your father on television on Tuesday – switched on Sky News and there he was. He seemed on pretty good form, slagging off the pharmaceutical industry. Actually, the book sounded quite interesting, I might give it a try. Is it as impenetrable as
A Brief History of Time
?’
    â€˜Only in parts. There are some good chapters – you’d get through it.’
    â€˜How is he?’
    â€˜Not easy; he’s very stressed at the moment. Things are really tight. All the staff at the lab have agreed to take a ten per cent pay cut to avoid redundancies.’
    â€˜I find that incredible with all the acclaim he gets for his work. I don’t understand why you have such a hard time getting funding.’
    â€˜If he’d agree to let the pharmaceutical industry fund us, we’d have no problem.’
    â€˜And he still won’t because of his views on patenting?’
    â€˜I think he’s coming round a little. We’re meeting the Chairman of Bendix Schere on Monday. Hey, I just realized – they’re the company that makes Maternox!’
    â€˜Maybe you can get me a discount …’
    â€˜I’ll ask!’ Monty grinned and clinked her glass against her friend’s. ‘Cheer up. I want to come to a christening in a year’s time.’

5
    London
.
October
,
1993
    â€˜What time are we meeting these