switched on the TV. It would not do, she considered, to come on too strong at this stage. Dan needed time for the knowledge that Jo was now out of reach to sink in before making her next move. She mustn’t wait too long, of course. Not with Aisling hanging around. But since she was away at the moment Libby felt she could well afford to hold on for another day.
She’d just flopped into her armchair when the telephone rang and she reached to answer it. She allowed herself to hope it was Dan and turned the sound of the TV down with the remote control. He was one of the few people she’d given her number to, just in case he needed her to get something for him while he was busy writing his book. She’d had to be careful about making friends since arriving in Leeds. Apart from Dan, the only other people who had her number were her office (and they hardly ever rang her at home), and... And then she sighed. And Joanna—
Damn.
‘Hello? Libby?’
Despite her disappointment she had a role to play, so she arranged her features into a smile.
‘Joanna!’ she said, sounding oh so pleased to hear from her. ‘How are things?’
Things must be bad if she was still bothering to ring, Libby thought. Joanna had never shown any interest in her while she was living with Dan. The only reason they were in touch now was because Jo wanted information. She was upset because Dan hadn’t bothered to call, stupid cow, and because Libby was afraid that she might contact him the lie about Aisling had just sort of slipped out.
‘Oh, you know, not bad,’ she said. There was a momentary pause. ‘Well, since you ask, that’s not entirely true. The company I worked for folded yesterday, so I’m sort of jobless at the moment.’
‘That’s awful,’ Libby managed. ‘But last time we spoke you did say things weren’t going too well.’
‘I know, and it’s not too bad I suppose because I’ve got a fill-in job with a friend at the Italian. It’s a pasta place in Carlton Lane—do you know it?’
Libby didn’t—not yet anyway.
‘Well, that’s good at least.’
‘How about you?’ Jo asked her then.
‘Things aren’t going too well where I work at the moment either.’ She didn’t usually talk about herself, but tonight she was in the mood for a moan.
‘I’m sorry,’ Jo said, sounding surprised. ‘I didn’t realise. Where is it you work anyway?’
They’d been talking on the phone for nearly two months and she’d never bothered to ask before.
‘Bennett Associates,’ Libby said, trying not to sound resentful. ‘You know—the tech recruitment firm that Pisus used occasionally.’
‘Is that the same recruitment firm where Nicola Dick is a partner?’
‘As a matter of fact I’ve just moved into her department. Is she a friend of yours?’ Libby added guardedly.
‘Not exactly,’ Joanna said. ‘Just someone I knew at school. I never really liked her much, if I’m honest.’
‘That’s OK, then, because I can’t stand her myself.’
‘I heard she’d gone all religious lately,’ Joanna said.
‘She’s wearing a crucifix, if that’s what you mean, but the word is she’s only doing it because her fiancé’s parents are very devout. I don’t believe she’s serious about it for a moment.’
‘That explains a lot,’ Joanna said with a hint of a chuckle in her voice.
Then she finally got round to the real reason for her call.
‘How’s Dan?’ she asked, trying her best to sound casual.
‘Fine, I think. Working hard on his book, you know.’
‘And, er, Aisling? Are they still together?’
‘Fraid so,’ she said with a sigh, as she twisted the cord of the phone round her fingers.
‘Are you sure, Libby? It’s just that I saw Dan today and he looked a bit, well—sorry for himself, I suppose.’
‘That’s just wishful thinking,’ Libby answered quickly. Then a worrying thought struck her. ‘You didn’t speak to him, did you?’
‘No. I just got a glimpse of him in the
She’d just flopped into her armchair when the telephone rang and she reached to answer it. She allowed herself to hope it was Dan and turned the sound of the TV down with the remote control. He was one of the few people she’d given her number to, just in case he needed her to get something for him while he was busy writing his book. She’d had to be careful about making friends since arriving in Leeds. Apart from Dan, the only other people who had her number were her office (and they hardly ever rang her at home), and... And then she sighed. And Joanna—
Damn.
‘Hello? Libby?’
Despite her disappointment she had a role to play, so she arranged her features into a smile.
‘Joanna!’ she said, sounding oh so pleased to hear from her. ‘How are things?’
Things must be bad if she was still bothering to ring, Libby thought. Joanna had never shown any interest in her while she was living with Dan. The only reason they were in touch now was because Jo wanted information. She was upset because Dan hadn’t bothered to call, stupid cow, and because Libby was afraid that she might contact him the lie about Aisling had just sort of slipped out.
‘Oh, you know, not bad,’ she said. There was a momentary pause. ‘Well, since you ask, that’s not entirely true. The company I worked for folded yesterday, so I’m sort of jobless at the moment.’
‘That’s awful,’ Libby managed. ‘But last time we spoke you did say things weren’t going too well.’
‘I know, and it’s not too bad I suppose because I’ve got a fill-in job with a friend at the Italian. It’s a pasta place in Carlton Lane—do you know it?’
Libby didn’t—not yet anyway.
‘Well, that’s good at least.’
‘How about you?’ Jo asked her then.
‘Things aren’t going too well where I work at the moment either.’ She didn’t usually talk about herself, but tonight she was in the mood for a moan.
‘I’m sorry,’ Jo said, sounding surprised. ‘I didn’t realise. Where is it you work anyway?’
They’d been talking on the phone for nearly two months and she’d never bothered to ask before.
‘Bennett Associates,’ Libby said, trying not to sound resentful. ‘You know—the tech recruitment firm that Pisus used occasionally.’
‘Is that the same recruitment firm where Nicola Dick is a partner?’
‘As a matter of fact I’ve just moved into her department. Is she a friend of yours?’ Libby added guardedly.
‘Not exactly,’ Joanna said. ‘Just someone I knew at school. I never really liked her much, if I’m honest.’
‘That’s OK, then, because I can’t stand her myself.’
‘I heard she’d gone all religious lately,’ Joanna said.
‘She’s wearing a crucifix, if that’s what you mean, but the word is she’s only doing it because her fiancé’s parents are very devout. I don’t believe she’s serious about it for a moment.’
‘That explains a lot,’ Joanna said with a hint of a chuckle in her voice.
Then she finally got round to the real reason for her call.
‘How’s Dan?’ she asked, trying her best to sound casual.
‘Fine, I think. Working hard on his book, you know.’
‘And, er, Aisling? Are they still together?’
‘Fraid so,’ she said with a sigh, as she twisted the cord of the phone round her fingers.
‘Are you sure, Libby? It’s just that I saw Dan today and he looked a bit, well—sorry for himself, I suppose.’
‘That’s just wishful thinking,’ Libby answered quickly. Then a worrying thought struck her. ‘You didn’t speak to him, did you?’
‘No. I just got a glimpse of him in the
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