The Unmarried Husband. Cathy Williams

seen them. His back was to them and his father, after a quick, indifferent glance at them, was now sipping his glass of wine and consulting the menu in front of him.

      Jessica pretended to ignore her daughter’s agitation. Eventually Lucy said, under her breath, ‘I just recognised someone, that’s all.’

      ‘Really?’ A waiter handed them menus and took an order for aperitifs. ‘One of your teachers?’

      ‘No!’

      ‘One of your schoolfriends?’ She looked at her daughter over the top of the menu. ‘I didn’t think that there was anyone here under eighteen apart from you.’

      ‘No one that you know, Mum,’ Lucy mumbled, diving into the menu and frowning savagely.

      ‘Oh.’

      ‘He hasn’t seen me.’

      ‘He…?’

      ‘Don’t look around. You’ll just make it obvious!’

      ‘Why don’t you say hello if you know him, whoever he is?’ Jessica asked with studied indifference.

      ‘He’s wearing a jacket!’ She made that sound like a sin, and Jessica did her best not to smile.

      ‘How awful!’

      ‘Very funny, Mum.’ She stared at the menu, still red-faced and frowning. ‘I suppose I’d better say hi.’

      Jessica nodded, holding her breath. ‘Good idea, darling.’ She placed the menu to one side, having read precisely nothing on it. ‘Silly to be antisocial.’