Page 98 of Original Sin

The blonde put her hand on Dom’s. ‘Is everything all right?’ she asked in a clipped Home Counties accent. Tess noticed the way her fingers lingered on his just a second too long, and she instinctively knew that they had slept together.

‘I was just talking to my boyfriend,’ snapped Tess. ‘Is that okay?’

The blonde looked at Dom and he shook his head slightly. She moved away quickly.

For several seconds, Tess simply couldn’t think what to say. Her fingers gripped the silk of her dress.

‘I didn’t want you to find out like this,’ said Dom, nervously glancing around.

‘Of course you didn’t,’ said Tess. ‘You didn’t want me to find out at all.’

She inhaled sharply, psyching herself to stay strong. ‘Who is she?’ she asked as calmly as she could.

‘She’s called Tamara. Tess, I just–’

‘Where did the two of you meet?’ she interrupted.

‘Around town,’ he said sheepishly.

‘Where,’ she demanded. ‘Where?’ Suddenly Tess felt she needed to know everything. Tess looked over at the girl who had retreated to the bar, and instantly Tess knew where they had met. Tamara had been one of the London society blondes at the Lupin launch.

‘It was the Asgills’ party,’ she said quietly, almost detached. ‘Wasn’t it?’

Dom took a deep breath. ‘Briefly, yes. Then we bumped into each other again at Nobu.’

‘Nobu?’ she snorted. ‘Your local fucking canteen now, no doubt.’

Tess thought of that amazing lovemaking session they had had in the seedy hotel straight afterwards and felt her face flush with stupidity. Lovemaking! All the time she thought it had been an indication of how much he really felt for her, a vindication of the strength of their relationship after all these years, but no. He had just been feeling horny.

Dom looked at Tess sheepishly. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘Sorry,’ she choked. ‘You’re “sorry”? After ten fucking years together, this is what I deserve: flaunting some posh bitch like a trophy in front of me? Did you really think I wouldn’t find out about it eventually?’

‘I was going to tell you,’ he said lamely. ‘But I didn’t want to do it over the phone.’

She thought of all the things she’d planned for her trip in London that weekend. The cheesy double–decker bus tour, the meal at Chez Bruce, then cuddling up in bed afterwards, in their bed. But Dom had had other plans. He was going to finish with her.

She swallowed hard.

‘Tess, come on,’ said Dom. ‘Our relationship has been dying on its feet for ages.’

She turned on him furiously. ‘Oh, and that’s enough to justify sleeping with that slut, is it? You’re not happy, so you just jump into bed with the first tart who comes along?’

‘No,’ he sighed. ‘But we both deserve to be happy.’

‘This is what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it? A rich girlfriend, rich and beautiful. Not smart of course – certainly not smart if she’s interested in you.’

Dom glanced around and bent in closer to Tess. ‘Keep your voice down, Tess.’

‘Why? Frightened your fancy new friends won’t approve of your old girlfriend? No, I was never rich or successful enough, was I? You wanted a Chelsea flat, you wanted the Tatler party pages, didn’t you, you shallow wanker? Well, I hope you’re finally happy.’

He stopped and looked at her more coolly, his public–school confidence allowing him to step up and take the high ground. ‘

‘You can’t criticize me for wanting this, Tess,’ he said evenly. ‘You were the one who high–tailed to it New York. You were the one who wanted the fat salary and the West Village apartment. And what am I supposed to do? You’ve been back once in two months – and that was for work.’

‘Because I’m committed to my job – what’s so wrong with that? I thought we were committed to each other too. I thought we would cope with the distance because we loved each other.’

Tess was dimly aware that she was shouting now. She would not cry. She absolutely would not allow herself, but her lips prickled, her breathing had quickened, and her cheeks flushed anxiously hot.