'Seriously?' Jenny asked as we both climbed into her enormous bed that night.

I knew I should have kept it all a secret. Gideon had told me the story in confidence, but it was too big to keep to myself. I mean, if Jenny was going to continue spending time with Charlie, then she should know what William was really like. I didn't want him to do anything that might hurt her, or her family either. Charlie was a sweet guy, but he had made some questionable choices as far as his friends were concerned.

'It explains why William was being so rude to him before, right?'

'True,' she reasoned. 'But that's a sadistic thing to do, even for him. I know you don't like him that much, and Gideon seems a lot nicer –'

'He is nicer.'

'You're a little bias,' she said, 'because you fancy him.'

I had to give her that.

Okay, so maybe I didn't think a lot of William, but I also hadn't thought he'd treat anyone so cruelly. It wasn't like we were talking about a harmless little prank. Gideon had been lucky to only lose his job. He could have gone to prison over something like theft or fraud. William was stupid if he didn't see how terrible that was. Or perhaps he did, and he just didn't care.

'Either way, I believe Gideon. Charlie's great and he's so perfect for you. But that doesn't mean that his friend is a good person. I can easily believe that William did this and then lied to Charlie about it. Like – like, Gideon couldn't just make that up. Not about a family that has that much power. And he hasn't got anything to gain from doing it.'

'Maybe it did happen, but it was someone else who spread the rumour. Things can get lost in translation, you know? Who's to say that someone else at the school wasn't responsible?'

'Well, whatever happened, it was pretty clear that William still has it out for him.'

Jenny reached out to clasp my hand in hers. 'But we're not sure. So, we shouldn't start spreading this around. And – and if Charlie heard that we were talking badly of William...'

'I won't mention it to anyone, even though I want to punch William for it. I promise.'

'So,' Jenny was eager to change the subject, 'do you think you're going to be buying anything tomorrow to impress Gideon?'

Yes.

The morning rolled around quickly. I was looking forward to it a great deal more than I had been when it was first suggested. Not just because it was a chance to find a look that Gideon would like, but because it meant that I was away from Wyatt. He'd been a nightmare for the entire evening. When he'd tried to invite himself into Jenny's home for the night to watch over me, I'd had to put my foot down. There had to be clear boundaries. If he couldn't figure out what those were for himself, then it was up to me to draw them. Honestly, he had no concept of social grace, or what was or wasn't acceptable behaviour. I was a total commoner and even I could figure it out.

He was an idiot in every possible way.

Going shopping with Ms Ayers wasn't like shopping with the girls from school. With them, I often tried to wriggle out of it early. I just couldn't take too much of Chrissy and Lisa arguing over a pair of shoes, or of Meg getting separated from us whenever she accidentally wandered off into a bookshop. Sometimes we had to put out announcements for her just so we could track her down again like she was a lost child.

No, it was a far more amusing outing without them.

Determined to treat me like her own child, Ms Ayers started with an indulgent but healthy breakfast and then dragged us off to a salon. Our hair would be cut, styled, and our nails painted. Oh, and obviously the beautician in charge of mine would chastise me for chewing on them. High street chain stores weren't good enough for Ms Ayers. It simply must be one-off boutiques, and we had to turn them into mini fashion shows.

There'd never be room in my cramped wardrobe for all the items she bought for me.

Finally, we stopped for coffee in the afternoon. I didn't care where it was, so long as I could rest my aching feet. I didn't want to complain, not when I hadn't spent a single penny of my own money, but I was trying to figure out how I could pay her back for it all. None of it sat easily with me, even though I knew it was rude to turn down gifts.

'This is exactly why I wish I'd had more daughters,' Ms Ayers said as she inspected a black dress that she'd chosen for me. 'It's a good excuse to try out so many new styles.'

'Well, if you're ever interested in adopting me...' I joked, hoping to mask my discomfort while I contemplated how much the slip of fabric in her fingers had cost.

'I don't think your father would like that,' she said.

'Are you kidding? He wants to trade me in with Jenny.'

Jenny giggled softly against the rim of her coffee cup, then set it daintily back in the saucer. Everything she did was with such care. I was so clumsy and crass. It was obvious which one of us had been raised to be presented to society. I wouldn't be accepted by the same circles as her when we were out of school. I'd have an excellent education behind me, but I would fade into obscurity. Jenny would probably wind up on television or married to a millionaire sportsman. Not a footballer, because she was better than that. More like a tennis player, or someone who owned a lot of racehorses.

I'd be lucky if I could marry the man who cleaned out their stables.

Not that I was thinking about marriage.

The door opened and the boy walking through it beamed at us. He made his way through the café at speed, deftly avoiding tables laden with mugs and cakes, and stumbled over his feet when he came to our table. Charlie smiled at Jenny stupidly for a second and then turned to Ms Ayers. He bowed his head just a little in greeting. 'It's nice to see you again, Ms Ayers. You might not remember me from the hospital. I'm Charlie Bingley.'

'I remember perfectly well. It's nice to see you again, Charlie.'

'It's so weird, I was just thinking about how it would be great if we'd all gone out together today,' he said to us, 'and here you are!'

'Are you out by yourself?' Ms Ayers asked.

I was dreading the answer before I heard it.

'No, no! My sister came with me, and William,' he turned to wave them over.

Naturally, they entered with their arms linked. This made walking through the door a bit of a farce, one which William looked frustrated with. He jerked his arm from Chantelle a little more roughly than was necessary, but it made me laugh behind my hand. I'd have disguised it as a cough if I thought they deserved that kind of courtesy.

But they didn't.

'Lovely to see you, Ms Ayers,' Chantelle simpered. 'I'm Chantelle. I'm sure you remember me. Jenny and I are good friends.'

'Are you?' she asked. 'I'm not sure that I recall...'

'I went to the hospital to visit a few times. I sent for coffee for you,' she said.

'Oh, yes. I'm sorry, I remember now. It's just that Beth here has been friends with my Jenny for so long, that I find it difficult to keep track of anyone else. It's nice to see you again. And this boy was with you once, if I recall. Wilbur, was it?'

I snorted into my cup.

'William,' he corrected. 'A pleasure.'

'I'm sure it is, Wilson. Girls, I think we ought to get going. I have to drop you back at school before it's too late.'

I had no problem with that at all. Charlie was good fun, but if I had to spend the night making small talk with William or Chantelle, then I was going to start feeling suicidal. Worse, I might let slip that I knew all about the business between him and Gideon. That wouldn't go down well, especially not after I'd promised Jenny to keep it to myself.

Despite the number of bags we had between us, it didn't take long for me to gather my share. I was so desperate to get away, that I didn't care that I looked like a pack-mule under the weight of them. Jenny wasn't so inclined to hurry. I guessed that was because it wouldn't look very polite if she did. Manners were fine, but if they were going to keep us in that kind of company, they could hang for all I cared.

'Wait,' Charlie said before we could escape.

I couldn't bring myself to be mean to him. It came naturally towards most people, but not him. I stopped in my tracks and lingered beside Jenny. Ms Ayers was almost to the door and was forced to stand by. At least she wasn't as inclined to think the best of people like her daughter. She could see that Chantelle and William weren't worth knowing as anything more than passing acquaintances, and even that was being generous.

Charlie rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. 'Tomorrow is sort of my birthday, and my parents are having this big party for it. I'd like it if you came along.'

'Just Jenny,' Chantelle added. 'Obviously. And it's our birthday.'

'You can come too,' Charlie said to me. 'And the other girls in your dorm. I think it would be more fun with more people, don't you?'

Chantelle clearly didn't, but she wasn't about to tell her brother that. Not with William there to hear it. He looked disinterested in anything we had to say. I assumed that he'd only been polite to Jenny's mother because of her connections. If she'd had as little money as me, he probably would have insulted her quite openly.

'What time?' I asked.

No, the idea of spending the night with Chantelle looking down her nose at me wasn't my idea of fun.

The idea of infuriating her by turning up and looking amazing while I did it?

That was a good way to spend my Sunday.