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starting up again,’ she murmured.
    ‘What?’ said Fenny curiously.
    Leonie sighed. ‘Kate had a huge crush on Alasdair Drummond in those days.’
    ‘Reciprocated?’
    ‘No. Which worries me.’
    ‘Kate doesn’t look worried.’ Jonah comforted his wife. ‘Besides, that was years ago. She’ll have got over it by this time.’
    Fenny’s eyes gleamed. ‘Or is she still carrying a torch for this Alasdair?’
    ‘I hope not.’ Leonie fixed her brother with an accusing eye. ‘What gave you the bright idea of asking him here today?’
    ‘I’ve been doing some business with him. Besides, I like him.’ Adam shrugged ruefully. ‘And I thought, in my infinite wisdom, that Kate would be pleased. But Gabriel says I’m wrong.’
    Leonie sighed. ‘Oh, well, it’s only for an hour or two. Kate can hardly come to harm with us around.’
    ‘How can she come to any harm?’ said Fenny, mystified. ‘It’s a christening, not an orgy!’
    “‘Out of the mouth of very babes…’” teased Jonah. ‘Your mother’s signalling, Leo. Time to put on your hat.’
    Fenny pulled a face. ‘I’ll be the only one with naked hair.’
    ‘Good thing St Paul can’t be here, then,’ said Jonah. ‘Women’s hair was his weakness. Mine too.’ He leered at his wife. ‘One of them, anyway.’
    ‘Don’t be rude,’ said Fenny, sticking her tongue out at him. ‘If Kate heard you she’d start scraping her hair back in a bun again, so keep your weaknesses to yourself, Jonah Savage.’
    A few minutes later the newest addition to the family was swathed in the shawl that served all Dysart christenings, and his various female relatives were ready and hatted when Fenny dashed to join them, wearing a man’s navy coat and clumpy, platform-soled shoes, her hand held up for attention.
    ‘For pity’s sake tell her she looks great,’ she hissed, then stood aside nonchalantly when Kate appeared in her long, fitted coat of bronze wool, hair rippling in a shining dark cascade down her back, the fake-fur hat set straight over eyes that looked around in question.
    ‘What do you think? Will I do?’
    ‘You look amazing, Kate!’ said Gabriel, handing her son to Adam. ‘Straight out of Doctor Zhivago .’
    ‘The hat looks wonderful on you, darling,’ said Tom Dysart, and exchanged a smile with his wife. ‘I remember my mother in it.’
    ‘You put us all in the shade,’ Leonie assured her sister warmly.
    Adam grinned at Kate over his son’s head. ‘Prepare yourself for a photo call after the ceremony, godmother.’
    ‘When are the godfathers arriving?’ she asked, as everyone made a move.
    ‘Hopefully they’re at the church right now, along with everyone else.’ Adam looked at his watch. ‘At least Jeremy Blyth will be. But punctuality was never one of Charlie’s strong suits.’
    ‘I thought you had a row with Charlie Hawkins,’ said Leonie, as they went out to the cars.
    ‘All in the past,’ Adam told her, smiling at Gabriel.
    ‘Life’s too short to be at odds with old friends,’ agreed his wife. ‘The other godfather is my old friend.’
    ‘The famous Jeremy Blyth, art dealer extraordinaire,’ said Harry Brett, grinning at his daughter. ‘What’s he giving Hal for a present, Gabriel? A Picasso?’
    ‘We should be so lucky!’
    When the family party arrived at the church a small crowd of people were gathered outside in the icy sunshine. Towering above the rest, Alasdair Drummond, superbly dark-suited, was deep in conversation with a similarly formal Charles Hawkins, who had been friends with Adam Dysart since their first day at school. But Jeremy Blyth, a slender man with sleek fair hair, was exquisite and unmistakable in a pearl-grey suit, with bow tie and waistcoat in lilac silk.
    Kate saw Alasdair stop mid-sentence as he caught sight of her, and gave him a brilliant smile as Gabriel hurried to kiss Jeremy Blyth and Charlie before moving on to smile at the man next in line.
    ‘By a process of elimination,’ said