Free Love Is a Secret by Sophie King

at him pleadingly. ‘Is that really so impossible?’
    He stared down at her, eyes locking with hers. ‘I don’t know, Caro. All you can do is carry on trying.’
     
    ‘Where’ve you been?’ demanded Zelda, tersely, as she wove her way through the Features department towards her desk. ‘Diana’s been looking for you. She’s changed the flatplan for the twenty-third and wants to bring forward the infidelity feature by a week.’
    Caroline checked her diary on-screen. ‘That means I’ve only got until next Friday.’
    ‘You could try Great Publicity.’
    ‘I have. And I’ve got some other leads too.’
    For the next hour, she sifted through self-help groups and marital organisations, mainly through Google. Respected women’s magazine needs to interview a woman who has fought to save her marriage after her husband’s affair. Can pay an interview fee .
    Jeff had hit home when he’d suggested it might be cathartic for her to hear other women’s stories and possibly share her own. Heaven knows, she needed to talk to someone . Jeff hadn’t proved the sounding-board she’d hoped for and Janie, her sister, was too far away. Other women had best friends but the pressure of working and bringing up a family had meant she’d lost touch with her old university friends. Besides, maybe a stranger would offer more objective advice.
    Caroline glanced at Zelda, who was doing a telephone interview with a psychologist to get what they called a ‘psychobabble’ quote for their feature on Kids’ Nasty Habits . She put her handbag on the desk in such a way that Zelda couldn’t see the screen, then logged on to What Mums Know .
    Username: Part Time Mum – because that was what her job had made her.
     
MESSAGE BOARD
     
Hi. I want to know if anyone out there can tell me if it’s possible to go on after your husband has had an affair. Two years ago, I had an anonymous phone call from a ‘stranger’.
     
    Caroline’s fingers shook as she felt the familiar gut-wrenching sickness wash over her yet again. Georgie had been ten when it had happened. She’d been nagging her to get into the bath before Roger got home so that some semblance of peace and order would greet him when he came in. Then the phone had rung.
    Georgie, always fast, had got there first. ‘It’s for you, Mum.’
    Inwardly groaning, she had taken the receiver, wondering who would ring at peak bedtime.
    ‘Caroline?’ A woman’s voice. Slightly harsh.
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘You don’t know me. I’m a friend of Elaine.’
    ‘Elaine?’
    She sounded impatient. ‘You know: one of your husband’s major clients.’
    Visions of some office accident – a road crash? – flashed through her head. ‘Is he all right?’
    ‘Don’t play games, Caroline.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘What are you going to do about it?’
    This was crazy. ‘About what?’
    ‘They’re in love, Caroline. You know that. What are you going to do about it?’
    ‘In love?’ Her voice came out as a pale whisper.
    ‘Who’s in love, Mum?’ Georgie had said, tugging at her jumper.
    She’d gripped the receiver. ‘Who are you?’
    There was a click. 1471. Caller withheld their number.
    ‘Who’s in love, Mum? Tell me!’ Georgie was dancing round her.
    ‘No one.’ Caroline had stared at the phone as though it might reveal the answer. ‘No one.’
    In shock, she had immediately called Roger on the mobile. He’d been defensive but firm. Elaine was his client. Yes, they got on well but that was all there was to it.
    She stopped typing and dropped her face into her hands. She and Roger had had a terrible argument while Georgie was, thankfully, in front of the television. But the older ones had heard it.
    She still couldn’t bear to think of the damage it had done to them. Roger’s eyes had been hard in a way she’d never seen them before. No, he had insisted. He hadn’t had an affair, but if he had it was her fault for not showing him affection any more. For always putting her