Necessary as Blood

owner‘s desk, and Ivan Talbot never revealed a source.

    The square tucked away behind Kensington High Street was green and quiet, a residential enclave of elegant town houses. A few of these now housed businesses, including, on the ground floor at the end of a terrace, the cafe where Hazel had taken a job.
    When Gemma walked in, she saw that the interior of the cafe was a clean, white space, with only a few tables, and fewer customers lingering over their lunches. Hazel stood at the back of the long, narrow room, stocking clean glassware on a shelf. She wore a white apron and T-shirt over tan trousers, and when she saw Gemma, she gave a radiant smile and hurried forward.
    ‘Gemma! What are you doing here? What a lovely surprise.‘
    ‘I‘m sorry I didn‘t ring first. But I knew you‘d said you were working today, and I just — I thought we could talk. Are you too busy?‘
    Hazel glanced at the remaining diners. ‘We‘re just finishing up the lunch rush. Then there will be a bit of a lull before the afternoon-tea crowd starts filtering in.‘ She pointed Gemma to a small table at the front. ‘Have a seat and I‘ll bring you some tea. You can enjoy the view, and I‘ll be with you in a tick. There are some lunch specials left — have you eaten?‘
    ‘Just tea would be fine,‘ said Gemma, avoiding the question.
    ‘You look dreadful,‘ Hazel exclaimed, examining her more closely. ‘What on earth did you do to yourself?‘
    ‘Oh, it was just something stupid that happened at work. I‘m fine, really.‘
    ‘Well, I suppose that‘s a better answer than “I walked into a door.”‘ Hazel gave her an assessing, sceptical look, but brought her a cup of tea. When the last customers had left, she took off her apron and sat down beside Gemma with a cup of her own. ‘Coffee for me, I‘m afraid. I need the boost to get through the rest of the afternoon.‘
    ‘And this from the woman who used to drink herbal teas?‘ Gemma teased.
    ‘Ah, well, another time, another place. Another person, really,‘ Hazel added, with just a touch of sadness, but then she smiled. And I‘ve discovered I quite like coffee. I‘m going to take full advantage of my few minutes‘ respite while Chef is out making an emergency-supply run.‘ She looked much better than the last time Gemma had seen her, when they had talked under the Westway.
    ‘I‘m glad you‘re settling in.‘
    ‘So am I. But at the moment I‘m more concerned about you. Is it your mum?‘
    ‘In a way.‘ Gemma told her about the call from Cyn that morning.
    Hazel frowned. ‘Well, no one would deny that your sister can be a bitch, but that‘s a bit over the top, even for her. You know she‘s jealous of you.‘
    ‘Cyn? Jealous of me? But she‘s the one who gets all the approval.‘
    ‘Sometimes you are thick, Gemma,‘ Hazel said with a sigh. ‘I suspect that‘s her way of making up for not having your life — your job, your partner, your children, your house. But in this case, I think it‘s more than envy. For all her bossiness, Cynthia is much more dependent on your mum than you are. I think she‘s terrified of losing her — as is your dad — and you‘ve become a convenient scapegoat.‘
    ‘But why would...‘ Gemma rubbed her head, trying to sort out her thoughts. ‘I don‘t understand why blaming me would make them feel better — and I feel like I‘m just being stubborn, not giving them what they want.‘ She swallowed, making an effort to steady her voice. ‘But this wedding has turned into a monster. I wanted it to be something special, for Duncan and me, and the boys, not some stupid spectacle in a cheap — or not-so-cheap — hotel. But if it means that much to my mum—‘
    ‘Darling, you are letting your father and your sister blow this out of all proportion. Your mother loves you. She wants you to be happy. And I think nothing would please her more than to see you get on with your life, by whatever means. And if you were thinking logically, you would know that your mother‘s recovery does not depend on your getting married in the Ritz rather than the register office.‘
    ‘No. I suppose you‘re right,‘ Gemma admitted, feeling a smidgen of relief, and with an attempt at lightness added, Are you sure you shouldn‘t be practising therapy again, rather than working in a cafe?‘
    ‘This suits me very well for the moment, and I mean to hold onto what I have,‘ Hazel said firmly. And you — you are not going to let your