Unknown by Unknown

they'd enjoyed with their saddle of lamb.
    'If I could find someone who would share my interests and come to love my son, yes, I would certainly marry again,' he said, looking down at his plate and moving a piece of cheese onto a cracker with careful meticulousness. 'Two years ago I thought I had met her, but...' he put down his knife with a little click and pushed at his plate '.. .she made a fool of me, a complete fool. And that sort of thing...' he turned to Anna again '.. .makes a man careful next time round.'
    'Of course... Oh, how awful! Alex, I'm so sorry...' she began, then broke off because he was looking beyond her, further up the room, raising his hand and smiling...
    Following his eyes, she saw no one she knew, and he quickly explained that he'd spotted a friend of the family... 'She's Pa's goddaughter, as a matter of fact, name of Julia Trafford. Looks as though she's sporting a new man; Julia's a great one for change. They must have come in at the far end through the cocktail lounge. That's her, look, near that yucca plant, wearing a jade dress.'
    Intrigued, Anna looked and spotted Julia Trafford without too much difficulty. She had dark, piled-up hair and an expanse of creamy skin was well in evidence above the neckline of her dress. She didn't look all that young, though; she was probably, Anna thought, well into her thirties—not that it was easy to tell in this light, and from a distance of twenty yards or so.
    She was talking to the waiter, who was inclining towards her and hiding her escort from view, and as he moved—all but bowing from the table—Anna's heart leapt for she was looking.. .she was looking at Simon, sitting there straight and tall, unfamiliar and oh so attractive in a dinner jacket, his head turned towards the girl.
    Anna's feelings were in turmoil. How dare he.. .how dare he sit there, like that, with her. ..? How could he even want to when he's been as he has with me—even asked me out? Yes, but you refused him didn't you...? You turned him down. And what a good job I did because even if I hadn't he'd still have been here with her! He is like Daniel, very much like Daniel. For that's what he would have done.. .did do, time and again. I'm glad I turned him down!
    She, that woman—that Julia Trafford—was talking and moving her hands. Perhaps she was pointing Alex out to him for the next minute they were looking down the room, and the occupants of both tables were acknowledging one another with smiles and little waves. If Simon was surprised he hid it well; his mouthed 'hello' to Anna was relaxed and, cheerful and unselfconscious, he was out to enjoy himself. No doubt, Anna seethed thickly, he was anticipating the joys of slipping into bed with the creamy-skinned Julia after their sumptuous meal.
    'Do you know the man she's with?' Alex was watching Anna's face.
    'I ought to.' She took a grip of herself. 'He happens to be the consultant gynaecologist at the Regent. I see him most days. As a matter of fact he's the surgeon who patched up Imogen.'
    'Really?' Alex's eyes flicked to their table again.
    'Yes, really, really!' Anna gave a strained laugh, hearing him say,
    'Julia's rarely without an escort, and they're usually professional types. She's a doctor herself—a research scientist in the field of equinine disease. She's made a name for herself world-wide, and often lectures abroad. Her father and mine have been friends since their university days.'
    'She sounds clever,' Anna said, very nearly adding, brains as well as sexual charms, but stopped herself just in time. They were touching glasses, she noticed, and once again something akin to pure outrage washed over her, making her want to get to her feet and shout and throw something heavy. She must be out of her mind.
    'Would you prefer,' Alex's mild-toned voice infiltrated her ire, 'to have coffee here at our table, or through in the lounge?'
    'Actually,' she told him longing not only to get out of the restaurant but out of the