Annie had been left alone in the dining room with Tom, and she was unsure what to do about it. Tom was someone who most people would consider her fiance, or her boyfriend. He was something, all right, she just didn't know what. Now that her secret weekend away with Norman, her brother-in-law, with whom she'd had a rather embarrassing roll on the carpet at Christmas, wasn't going to happen, she was just left with Tom, who was going on about Mother's cat up in the tree.

"I'm a bit worried about that paw, you know."

"Paw?" Annie asked, momentarily confused and forgetting Tom was a vet.

"On the cat. Needs looking at. Does he have a name, by the way?" asked Tom.

"No just cat." said Annie.

"Oh I'm so stupid!" she suddenly burst, and slammed down the cutlery she was setting on the table.