Score!

‘I was worried.’ Then, steeling himself because he felt he must level with her, ‘Tristan backed off from you earlier in the summer because he’d been told by my father that there was bad blood in his family and he should never have children. Lucy and I went to France to prove it wasn’t true so now he can marry you, if you want him to.’ He took her hands again.

‘You and Lucy went all that way.’ Tab’s forehead wrinkled trying to understand. ‘So you’re not in love with Lucy?’

‘Of course not.’

‘Why were you kissing her, then?’

‘There’s nothing wrong with your memory,’ said Wolfie, trying to smile. ‘We were comforting each other. We thought you loved Tristan.’

‘I’ve been so jealous,’ mumbled Tab. ‘This is seriously embarrassing, but once you’d gone away I realized it was you I loved, not Tristan. He’s so ratty and obsessed with his film. I feel safe with you. I’ve wanted to kill Lucy for the last few days.’

Wolfie was struck dumb again as the colour flooded his incredulous, bewildered, hopeful face.

‘Your father?’ he mumbled. ‘He’d never approve. I’m three-quarters Kraut, a quarter Italian, a Rannaldini, and a disinherited one at that.’

‘That doesn’t matter a stuff. Dad really likes you.’ Tab stretched up her hand to touch his face. ‘You’re much more his cup of Earl Grey than Tristan. He loathes intellectuals.’

‘How d’you feel now?’ Wolfie trapped her hand, covering the palm with kisses.

‘My head aches, but my heart doesn’t any more.’

‘You mustn’t try to talk.’

‘I don’t want to talk, I want to kiss you.’

I shouldn’t be doing this to Tristan, thought Wolfie, but he bent his head and very gently kissed her dry lips, which immediately opened.

‘Stop that at once, you must not excite the patient,’ said an outraged nurse, who’d bustled in with a torch to check Tab’s pupils.

‘Yes, he must.’ Tab’s hand clamped round Wolfie’s neck. ‘It’s exactly what she does need.’

Outside, Rupert, trying to get through to Gerald Portland, had to cope with another casualty. This time it was Xavier, sobbing his heart out. Rupert was touched. Perhaps, at last, his son was mellowing towards his stepsister.

‘It’s all my fault,’ wailed Xav. ‘Tab was so horrible this morning, I prayed she’d die.’

For a second Rupert had difficulty in keeping a straight face. ‘It seems you didn’t pray hard enough,’ he said gravely. ‘She’s getting better by the minute.’

‘Will she be coming back to live with us?’ Xav asked gloomily.

Looking through the glass into Tab’s room, Rupert could see Wolfie taking off Tab’s wedding ring and throwing it in the bin. ‘I rather doubt it,’ he said.

‘D’you think her horrible mother could go and live with them both?’

Five minutes later, walking at speed along the corridor, Tristan went slap into Rupert and steeled himself for more abuse. But Rupert seemed in an excellent mood.

‘She’s come round. Go and say hello.’

As Tristan tiptoed in, Wolfie slid out without a word. Outside he leant his hot forehead against a cool corridor window, raising two sets of crossed fingers to the skies.

‘My poor darling, ’ow are you?’ Tristan took Tab’s hand.

‘OK.’ She forced herself to look at him. After a day in the sun, he was going brown again. She’d forgotten how handsome he was. ‘Look,’ she muttered, ‘I know I threw myself at you. Wolfie told me why you backed off, but you mustn’t feel guilty about Claudine because I’m in love with Wolfie.’

Tristan noticed her ringless finger and her mud-splattered face. Only the ticking clock broke the long, long silence. ‘I know you are.’

Looking up, Tab was amazed to see happiness and sweetness in his face.

‘Darling Tab, you gave me the most beautiful night of my life.’

‘I thought I was so in love with you.’

‘And I with you, and I still think Wolfie is the luckiest guy in the world.’

‘You shouldn’t look so relieved,’ grumbled Tab. ‘It isn’t very flattering.’

‘It isn’t very flattering that your father looks ecstatic as well. I’m sorry, chérie, I’ve been like a bear with a hurt head and you had that ’orrible fall.’

‘Wolfie thinks you’ll be cross with him.’

‘Au contraire. I come not for Wolfie’s blood but his car keys. When he saw ambulance, he leave Lamborghini across gateway so the unit cannot get in or out. His burglar alarm is going off every second so Sylvestre is going ape-sheet. Worst of all, Alpheus’s suit is locked inside so we cannot film last scene.’

The moment Tristan returned to the set an anxious Rozzy asked after Tab.

‘Out of danger,’ said Tristan happily, ‘and absolutely crazy about Wolfie, which lets me off the hook.’

‘Oh, I’m so pleased for them both,’ sighed Rozzy, taking Alpheus’s suit from him. ‘I wonder if it needs a press.’

‘Don’t bother,’ said Tristan. ‘Oh, Rozzy, I was such a bastard to Lucy earlier. Now I’m worried stiff. Someone tried to kill Tab, they slashed your dress yesterday, the murderer’s on the rampage, and Lucy’s not answering her mobile.’

‘Leave a message on her bleeper.’