I close my eyes and lean against Luke’s chest, feeling suddenly warm and blissful. The party plans are all sorted. Luke wants another baby. Minnie’s a lovely, intelligent child. At last I can relax.
‘We’ve got so much to look forward to,’ I say happily.
‘Agreed.’ He smiles back, just as my phone rings. I see Bonnie’s ID and extricate myself to answer.
‘Oh hi!’ I say in a friendly but guarded tone. ‘I’m just with Luke—’
‘Does he have his BlackBerry on him?’ Bonnie interrupts in a really un-Bonnie-like way.
‘Er … he’s just switching it on, actually,’ I say, turning to look at him. (He turned it off while Nanny Sue was here, which just shows how much he respects her opinion.)
‘Take it from him. Find an excuse! Don’t let him see it!’
She sounds frantic, and I react instantly.
‘Give me that!’ I snatch the BlackBerry out of Luke’s hand just as it starts buzzing and flashing. ‘Sorry!’ I quickly cover with a laugh. ‘It’s just … my friend from work wants to talk about different BlackBerry models. You don’t mind, do you?’
‘Don’t let him look at his computer either!’ Bonnie’s voice is in my ear. ‘Nothing with emails on it!’
‘Luke, could you make me a cup of tea?’ I say shrilly. ‘Right away? In fact … I’m feeling a bit ill. Maybe you could bring it to me in bed? And some toast?’
‘Well … OK.’ Luke gives me a slightly strange look. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Bathroom!’ I gasp, heading away. ‘Just make the tea! Thank you!’
I hurry into our bedroom, grab his laptop off the desk and hide it in my wardrobe, then turn breathlessly back to the phone. ‘What’s up, Bonnie?’
‘Becky, I’m afraid a short while ago …’ She’s breathing fast. ‘I made a rather significant mistake.’
A mistake? Bonnie?
Oh my God. The strain has got to her. She’s messed up some piece of work and now she’s getting me to cover up her tracks. Maybe she’ll ask me to fabricate evidence or lie to Luke or delete emails off his computer. I feel simultaneously touched that she trusts me enough to ask me … and remorse that I’ve driven her to such a state.
‘Were you upset by Luke telling you off?’ I demand. ‘Is that why you made a mistake?’
‘I was a little flustered this afternoon,’ she says hesitantly, ‘yes.’
‘I knew it!’ I clutch my head. ‘Bonnie, I feel so bad about what happened. Was Luke really angry with you?’
‘He wasn’t unreasonable, in the circumstances, but I was shaken, I must confess—’
‘Bonnie, stop right there.’ My voice is trembling with resolution. ‘Whatever you’ve done, whatever mistake you’ve made, whatever losses Brandon Communications suffer as a result … there is no way it was your fault. I won’t let Luke fire you. I’ll defend you to the hilt!’
I have a sudden image of myself squaring up to Luke in his office, holding Bonnie by the wrist and saying, ‘Do you realize what a treasure this woman is? Do you realize what an asset she is?’
‘Becky, dear, don’t worry! I haven’t made any mistake regarding Brandon Communications.’ Bonnie’s voice cuts into my reverie. ‘I’m afraid it’s to do with the party.’
‘The party?’ I feel a sudden tremor. ‘What’s happened?’
‘As you know, today was the day I informed the company about Luke’s surprise. I sent out the group email and all went smoothly. People are very excited and pleased.’
‘Right.’ I’m trying to quell a growing panic. ‘So …’
‘I then realized that I hadn’t mentioned the group birthday card. So I prepared a second email, informing the recipients that the card was in reception and would be presented to Luke at the party. I was just spell-checking when I thought I heard Luke’s voice. In my confusion, I hastily sent the email and closed down my screen.’ She pauses. ‘I didn’t realize my error till later.’
‘Your error?’ My heart is pounding. ‘Oh God. You didn’t send it to Luke, did you?’
‘Yes, I’m afraid it went to Luke,’ says Bonnie after the briefest of pauses.
I feel a tiny flash of shock, like sparks in my head. Breathe in … breathe out …
‘It’s fine.’ I’m amazed how calm I’m being, like a trained paramedic. ‘Don’t worry, Bonnie. I’ll delete it off his computer and his BlackBerry. No harm done. Thank God you caught it, that’s all—’
‘Becky, you don’t understand. Luke got it because he’s on our General Contacts list. That’s where I sent it by mistake.’
‘General Contacts?’ I echo uncertainly. ‘Well … who’s that? Who’s on the list?’
‘Around ten thousand City analysts, pundits and national press. I’m afraid it went out to all of them.’
I feel another flash – but this one isn’t tiny sparks. It’s massive, crashing, overwhelming tsunamis of horror.
‘Ten thousand people?’
‘Of course I immediately sent a retraction and asked for complete discretion. But I’m afraid it’s not as easy as that. People have started responding. Birthday messages have started arriving for Luke. His in-box is full. He’s had fifty-six already.’
With a shaking thumb I jab at Luke’s inbox on his BlackBerry. As it opens up, a list of unread emails fills the screen.