Page 39 of Private Lives

‘That’s

enough, Mr Bond,’ said the judge irritably before addressing Nigel.

‘I find it hard to see how this is now a privacy matter when this story is all over the Internet. I think we would all agree that the law is clear on this issue.’

‘Yes, your honour,’ said Nigel, closing his file.

Anna could feel sweat beading at her temples and the room seemed to spin. All week the Internet had been clean of the story. After the ex parte injunction had been granted, she had spoken to both Katie and Stanhope to make absolutely sure they understood they were forbidden to say anything about it. So how had it got out? Surely they wouldn’t have been so stupid as to go ahead and sell the story? She looked over at Nigel, who just gave her a shrug.

‘Very well, the injunction dated last Thursday is lifted,’ said Judge Baker, concluding the matter.

Nigel Keyes picked up his things and left the courtroom, with Anna following right behind.

‘We’ve been pretty bloody unlucky there,’ he said.

‘Unlucky?’ she said angrily. ‘Someone has talked. There’s no luck involved.’

She looked down the corridor and could see that Blake Stanhope was already on the phone. Without thinking, she stormed towards him.

‘Anna! Wait,’ called Nigel.

But Anna wasn’t listening. She stopped in front of Blake, glaring at him.

He gave her a thin, weaselly smile and pointed to the phone clamped to his ear.

‘Darling, I’m on a call.’

‘Does contempt of court mean nothing to you, Blake?’ she snapped. ‘Are you that determined to ruin people’s lives you’ll do anything?’

With a sour look, Blake flipped his mobile shut.

‘What are you suggesting, Miss Kennedy? That I leaked the story? That’s a pretty serious allegation.’

‘Then why are two hacks from the tabloids here? Are they psychic?’

She pointed at a couple of blondes who were talking intently to Martin Bond.

‘Darling, I simply told a friend that I was coming to court. Being strong-armed under the terms of the gagging order, I obviously gave nobody any details beyond that. I do this for a living, remember? I know the rules of the game, thank you very much.’

‘Then why are they here?’

‘Because temporary injunctions do get lifted. This isn’t the first, you know.’

She shook her head slowly.

‘I hope your lawyer is on a retainer, Blake,’ she said. ‘You’ll be needing him.’

‘No one likes a sore loser, Anna.’

She jabbed her finger at him.

‘This isn’t about losing “the game”, as you so eloquently put it. This is about breaking the law, which you did when you leaked the story to the press.’

‘No, Anna, I did not. Contrary to what you might think of me, I do have respect for the law. It’s my sixtieth birthday next week. I don’t want to spend it in jail for contempt of court.’

‘Bullshit,’ she said, turning on her heel. ‘Total bullshit.’

She ran out on to the street, her heart thudding as she turned on her phone. If the story had broken online twenty minutes ago, then the media would already be closing in on Sam. Oh God, I wonder if Jessica’s already seen it, she thought. What a mess.