Necessary as Blood

make the most of our day.‘
    Gemma was happy enough to get out of the house. Her whole family had been behaving oddly since the evening before; Duncan was preoccupied and seemed anxious to get rid of her, Kit was unusually serious and silent, and Toby kept breaking into hysterical fits of giggles over nothing. Gemma hoped he was just wound up over Holly‘s visit, and not sickening for something.
    Hazel whisked her off to Sloane Square, insisting on driving rather than taking the bus or the Tibe. ‘We‘ll park in the garage at Marks and Sparks,‘ she said, ‘and walk up the King‘s Road. It‘s a lovely day for it.‘
    The Oriel Cafe, a bustling French brasserie, was a Sloane Square institution. They got a table by the window, and as Gemma sipped the glass of Prosecco that Hazel had ordered, she began to relax. Over their fishcakes and mussels, she told Hazel what she had learned from Alia the day before, and then about the vet, John Truman.
    When she finished, Hazel‘s dark eyes were sober. ‘We know these things happen — have always happened, in some form or another, but that doesn‘t make it any easier when you actually confront them. That poor Bangladeshi girl, whoever she was. And the others, because there must be others.‘
    ‘On top of that, Charlotte‘s placement hearing is on Monday,‘ said Gemma. Now that things had started spilling out, she didn‘t seem to be able to stop them. ‘I‘ve rung the social worker again, but I haven‘t heard back. I simply will not let that horrible Gail Gilles get her hands on that child. I don‘t care what it takes. ‘And, Hazel...‘ She paused, then blurted out the worry that she hadn‘t been fully willing to admit, even to herself. ‘Last weekend, I told Duncan I was dreading the wedding. I tried to explain that it wasn‘t because of us. I thought he understood, but now he won‘t talk about it. I‘m afraid — I‘m afraid I‘ve totally screwed things up.‘ She gulped the last of her wine. When the bubbles went up her nose, she had an excuse for her watering eyes.
    ‘Gemma.‘ Hazel leaned forward and clasped her hand for a moment. Her touch was warm and comforting. ‘You absolutely cannot save the world single-handedly, as much as you want to. I don‘t see what more you can do about this case. Let Duncan get on with trying to find something more on this vet.
    ‘As for Charlotte, try to have a bit of faith in the system. I know it‘s not perfect, but you haven‘t actually seen what social services can do. Let it go for a day or two, see what happens on Monday.
    And I‘m quite sure Duncan understands about the wedding. In fact, he‘s probably relieved. After all, what man wants to get dressed up in a monkey suit and put on a show. Give him a bit of credit, too. Stop worrying.‘ She pushed her glass aside and smiled. And in the meantime, we‘re going shopping.‘
    ‘Shopping?‘ Gemma thought about the children, the work she was still trying to catch up on, all the things that needed doing around the house. ‘But we hadn‘t planned — I wasn‘t — I shouldn‘t...‘
    ‘Oh, yes, you should.‘ Hazel waved the waiter over for the bill. ‘Come on. We‘re going to Peter Jones.‘

    ‘I need a new wardrobe after Scotland,‘ Hazel told Gemma as she led her through the women‘s clothing collections in the Sloane Square department store. ‘I‘m not prepared for London summers any more.‘
    But she pushed things about on the racks with desultory interest and didn‘t take anything to try on. Gemma followed as Hazel wove her way through the aisles. Then Hazel stopped and lifted a dress, holding it up as she admired it. ‘Oh, this is perfect.‘
    It was a pale, apple-green cotton, as fine as silk, with capped sleeves, a fitted waist and a skirt that flared to the knee.
    ‘It is lovely.‘ Gemma touched it. ‘But I‘m not sure it‘s really your colour. You look better in bright things.‘
    ‘I suppose you‘re right, more‘s the pity. However‘ — Hazel held the dress up to Gemma — ‘it certainly suits you.‘ She inspected the tag. ‘And I think it‘s just your size. Come on, try it on.‘
    ‘But I don‘t need a dress,‘ said Gemma. ‘Where would I wear it? It‘s a garden-party sort of thing...‘
    ‘Of course you need a dress.‘ Hazel gave her a stern look. ‘How often do you treat yourself to anything, Gemma? As for where to wear it, you‘ll just have to come up with an excuse. Make Duncan take you out to