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married man.’
    â€˜Oh? I heard the father is someone close to the Crown.’
    Rhubarb, rhubarb. Gossip and be damned.
    People were pleasant and sociable at the christening with the exception of a sour-faced woman hovering in the background. No one knew who she was, or where she came from. As she was immaculately dressed and possessed an imperious manner, nobody dared question her.
    When Bertha Brown shed tears at the christening, Doc Ahearn tried to distract her. ‘The anointing of babies with baptism oil harks back to the ancient days, when athletes were massaged with oil before competing to strengthen them and make them supple. Thus the baby is symbolically strengthened for the struggles of life ahead. Sometimes it even works.’
    Bertha burst into tears again.
    Mary leant over and confided to Bertha, ‘The first time I clapped eyes on that bitch Eddie Lamb, I recognised her for what she is. She already had Daniel’s balls in her handbag. Not bad going, eh? Especially given the fact he likes men better than women. I heard Eddie got her claws into him at her brother’s funeral. She’s got Daniel by the short and curlies all right. But I can see why he went for her; Eddie looks just like her brother. She’s flat-chested with the same cold blue eyes and that stupid floppy schoolboy haircut. Small wonder Daniel ended up marrying her. He knows fuck all about women and even less about back-biting, gold-digging, mean vicious whores.’
    Mary was never one to mince matters.
    Daniel dutifully played host at the christening party held in the Hotel du Barry’s Winter Garden, even though he desperately wanted to sneak down to the Toucan Court bash on the groundfloor. Edwina possessively kept her hand on his arm and insisted on being introduced only to his most influential guests. Her beauty, grace and style charmed them as she parried questions about her adopted daughter with aplomb. ‘Daniel and I feel privileged to have the opportunity of raising this child after she had such an unfortunate beginning.’
    â€˜Oh, Mrs du Barry, the poor little mite. How can mothers abandon their young?’
    Edwina’s face showed compassion. ‘Lady Blythe, I have high hopes for Caterina’s future. She represents the peaceful promise of the new century.’
    Daniel was impressed by the quantity of Caterina Anastasia Grande Imperial Champagne his wife was throwing back. She must have hollow legs, or have I married a woman who can drink me under the table?
    Later, when Edwina was being violently sick in the Ladies powder room and Gloria was holding back her hair, she sobbed, ‘Fuck it. Gloria, how did I end up with a crying, leaking baby? The idea of wiping a baby’s bottom turns my stomach. I don’t have a maternal bone in my body.’
    â€˜Nonsense. You just haven’t had time to adjust. And she’s such a darling little thing.’
    â€˜True. But her vulnerability scares me. Doc Ahearn told me that babies’ skulls are soft and delicate. Diabolical things happen to their brains if they get shaken around like a martini. I didn’t want to hold her in the church in case I dropped her. Oh God . . .’
    Gloria sensed there was a lie in there somewhere but she was determined to think well of her best friend. ‘Eddie, you need to calm down. You’ve got Betty on hand to do all the bottom wiping and baby handling. Nothing terrible will happen to her.’
    â€˜It’s too much responsibility . . . oh no.’ Eddie retched again.
    After a while she stood up and wiped her mouth. ‘That’s it. I feel better. But why did you have to tell me about Daniel? I can’t believehe’s outside on the rooftop with that handsome officer. Christ.’ She shuddered. ‘The whole of bloody London must be sniggering at me.’
    â€˜Don’t be silly, Edwina. Only close friends know the true state of your marriage. I just overheard a woman