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and Simon were trying to set me up as some man's mistress?'
    'You'd have had a wonderful life. He badly needs someone, and he'd chosen you. He'd have made you very happy,' retorted Stephanie.
    'That's the most revolting thing I've ever heard!' cried Lisa in disbelief. 'I'm only thankful that I found Toby in time. Perhaps he isn't rich and powerful, and perhaps he can't help Simon with his business affairs, but he chose me because he liked me, and I liked him as well. Surely I'm entitled to choose my own lover!'
    'Choose!' Stephanie made a sound of contempt.
    'Do you honestly value me so little that you were willing to give me away like an unwanted dog? Don’t you feel anything for me, Stephanie? Anything at all?' When Stephanie stayed silent it was as much as Lisa could do to hide her pain. Choking back tears she picked up the receiver. 'I'm going to ring Toby and ask him to let me move in. I can't stay here any longer.'
    Stephanie followed Lisa to the phone. 'That's right, run out on us now that we're in trouble. You fool, do you think that a man like… '
    'Stephanie!'
    At the sound of Simon's voice, Stephanie fell silent. Lisa turned to look at this man she'd once believed cared for her. 'How could you?' she asked in disbelief. 'How could you have done it to me?'
    'I had no choice.'•
    'But didn't you think about me at all? Surely you must have imagined how I'd feel?'
    'Yes,' he murmured. 'I thought about you, but there was nothing I could do. Naturally you don't understand, and I'm truly sorry for that.'
    'I can't listen to any more,' she cried, trying to hold back the hot tears. 'I trusted you, Simon. I believed you cared for me, but it was all a lie, wasn't it? You were the same as Stephanie, but I was too stupid to understand. Well, now I do, which is why I'm leaving here and never coming back. All I can say is that I wish I'd never met either of you.'
    When Toby collected her forty minutes later there was a brief delay as he tried to put all her cases in the back of the Lotus, and he was so busy calming a distraught Lisa and wondering whether he was doing the right thing that he didn't hear the faint click of the camera, or see the teenager sitting high in the branches of the oak tree taking snap after snap of Lisa's hasty departure from her home.

Chapter Four
    Toby deposited Lisa's suitcases on the floor of his living-room and stood looking at her. She was shivering with reaction and totally unaware that she wasn't as welcome as she'd automatically expected. 'Now what?' he asked at last. 'I hope you don't expect to live here?'
    Flustered, she glanced around the small maisonette. 'I thought that just at first, until I get some money… '
    'Where do you think that money will come from? Your loving father?'
    Remembering what Simon had done, she flinched and shook her head.
    'Well then?'
    She hesitated. It was the first time she'd had to consider money, or the lack of it. 'I'll sell my fur coat and some of my jewellery. They should fetch a reasonable price so that I can get myself a flat. Until then I'll keep out of your way.'
    He gave an exasperated laugh. 'And how exactly do you intend keeping out of my way? By hiding in the loo every time I bring someone home?'
    'I'll stay in the bedroom reading.'
    'I usually want the bedroom when I bring people back!' She hadn't thought of that. 'You mean… ?'
    'You didn't think we were going to spend all our time together surely? Last night was great and I certainly intended repeating the experience, but I've got quite a lot of other girlfriends!'
    'I didn't think,' she said quietly.
    'What exactly happened this morning? '
    After she'd told him he was very quiet. 'You're sure the man who came to see you was called Bishop?'
    'Absolutely! He was horrible. To be honest, I was terrified.' 'Why on earth did you phone me?' he asked despairingly, uncomfortably aware of the danger in which she'd placed him.
    'Because you're not a friend of Simon's! I couldn't go to Sabrina's—her