Trust Too Much

‘Oh, nothing much.’

‘Not trying to take up where you and Bates left off?’ Simon prompted smoothly. ‘I can imagine that the contrast of his youth might appeal to you after that old man you were involved with in Australia.’

‘As you say, that old man,’ Fee emphasised, incensed by his lack of intuition. ‘Doesn’t that even suggest that you might be wrong about the nature of my “involvement” with him?’

‘What’s wrong? Did he fail to satisfy you?’ he derided lightly and laughed at her furious expression. ‘But then again, Bates is too young for you, not much more than a boy. What you really need in a relationship is a man—’

‘If ever I find myself in need of advice about relationships, I’ll apply to someone with a more successful record than yours, thanks, Simon,’ she cut in caustically, inwardly disconcerted by the personal turn the conversation had taken.

‘I don’t consider any of my relationships to have been failures,’ Simon returned easily, observing her with amused eyes.

Fee laughed incredulously. ‘They haven’t exactly lasted, have they? You’ve never married, for instance.’

‘Marriage is scarcely a proof of success,’ he drawled mockingly. ‘In fact, most marriages look like failures to me, even when the people concerned make an effort to keep up appearances. Have you ever seen one that works?’

‘What about Babs and Charles?‘ Fee demanded rebelliously.