Page 5

Finally, the taxi pulled up outside Fliss’s building.

Inside her apartment, it felt very empty and still. When they were married, she and Brandon had lived in a beautiful brownstone in Gramercy Park, but they had sold it during the divorce and Fliss had bought this duplex overlooking Central Park. She had joked that it was her bachelorette pad – a new home for a new phase of her life. In truth, she was so busy with work that she had spent very little time there. Of course, the interior was chic and tasteful – Fliss had worked with one of the most sought-after designers in the city – but she had chosen little of the décor herself and she knew it lacked the personal touch of a home well loved.

Fliss threw her coat and handbag onto the plush sofa, then crossed to the open-plan kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine. She took a large gulp of the Pinot Grigio and distractedly leafed through the pile of papers on the counter. Near the top was the invitation, printed on thick, cream card and embossed in gold. Fliss picked it up and read the words once again:

Lord and Lady Oliver request the pleasure of your company at their Betwixtmas Ball

Drinks reception, 7.00 p.m. 28th December

Clarendon Hall, Chipping Moreton, Gloucestershire

RSVP

Fliss studied the invitation, taking another sip of her wine. Thinking of Clarendon Hall brought back such a mixture of emotions and memories, she thought with a sigh. But she hadn’t been back there for more than two decades, and she had no intention of going to Lord and Lady Oliver’s ball; it was sweet of them to invite her, but the past was in the past and she had planned to spend the holiday season with Jeff and Henry. God, she’d have to tell them everything, share the news that her career was on ice! She groaned aloud.

Suddenly, Fliss had a desperate need to get as far away from New York as she could. She had always loved the city, but the need for home was overwhelming, for the people who knew her inside and out, friends who would understand …

Fliss was exhausted and all she wanted was to sleep. She drained her wine and headed through to her bedroom.

She showered, allowing the hot water to cleanse and sharpen her senses, afterwards putting on clean silk pyjamas and climbing into bed, but she couldn’t sleep, her mind raking over the day’s events. It was as though she was waiting for the gallows, waiting to see if the story broke overnight, or if Eugene would manage to halt it.

Who had sent Eugene those photos? Fliss hadn’t even known they existed, but someone had. Who? And why did they want to use them against her? It wasn’t possible to get to the top without treading on a few toes, but Fliss hadn’t thought she had any bitter enemies, no one who would want to go to such lengths to destroy her. It seemed that she’d been wrong.

She sat bolt upright, switching on her bedside light and reaching for her phone. Emails, texts, WhatsApp messages and missed calls came flying through from her friends and colleagues, asking where she was and if she was all right. Clearly, they were concerned about her missing the party, but the reason for her absence remained under wraps. It spoke volumes that she had been missed so much. Fliss hated lying but would have to pretend that she had been feeling unwell and so had left early. She had to figure out how to tell the crew that Friday Night with Fliss was going on a temporary hiatus – but that was a problem for another day.

As Fliss reached the end of her messages, another one popped up from someone unexpected – Sally Oliver, one of her teenage best friends. There were three of them: Fliss, Tara and Sally had all shared a dorm at boarding school, before living together in London.

Hey Fliss, I know you’re super busy but it’s been ages since we had a catch-up. Do you think you can make it back for the ball? It would be SO brilliant to see you. Miss you, love you xxx

Out of nowhere, Fliss longed to hear an understanding voice. Impulsively, she hit ‘call’ on Sally’s number. It rang a few times then Sally answered.

‘Fliss?’ Sally sounded surprised. ‘Oh my God, it’s so nice to hear from you! I just messaged you! Wait – what time is it there? Isn’t it the middle of the night? Is everything OK?’

‘It’s half three in the morning,’ Fliss groaned. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called. You’re probably getting ready for work.’

‘Well, I was, but I’ve always got time to talk to you.’

‘Silly of me to forget – and this is your busiest time of year, isn’t it?’ Fliss asked apologetically. Sally was an events planner, working on everything from private parties to huge corporate functions, and she was one of the best-connected women in London and the Cotswolds.

‘I mean, it’s a close-run thing with the summer season, but I’m a glutton for punishment! Plus I’ve got Neville and Elizabeth’s ball to organise up at the Hall. Are you coming? Please say you are! You’d be saving my sanity and we’d all love to see you.’

‘I-I’m not sure …’

‘Oh, darling, listen to me babbling on! What on earth’s up?’ Sally asked in concern, hearing the uncertainty in Fliss’s voice and the fact that it was the middle of the night in New York.

Fliss paused, taking a moment to decide how to explain everything that had happened. The physical distance between them stretched across the Atlantic but Fliss had known Sally for so long that she knew she could tell her anything, and so the whole story came spilling out.

‘Oh Fliss, sweetheart! Oh, I wish you were here. I just want to give you the biggest hug.’

‘I think I need it,’ Fliss admitted. She was so used to standing on her own two feet, being strong and fiercely independent, but right now she missed Sally terribly. The two of them had been good friends in school but had grown even closer as they reached adulthood, with Fliss appreciating Sally’s warmth and lack of judgement. It had been a long time since the UK had felt like home to Fliss, but right now she longed to be back there, surrounded by familiar people and places. ‘Please don’t tell anyone else what’s happened, will you?’

As though she had read her thoughts, Sally suggested, ‘Of course not. Look, why don’t you catch the next flight over here? Get away from everything for a while.’

Fliss began to protest. ‘Jeff and Henry are expecting me for Christmas …’

‘Listen, what you need is a break, somewhere far away. Jeff and Henry will only want what is best for you. You’ve been working like crazy for years and you barely skipped a beat when you and Brandon divorced. Perhaps this is the universe’s way of telling you to take some time off.’

Maybe Sally had a point.