Bitter Quadrille - Sheila Heywood

Catherine, who has a five-year-old daughter, Janine, is married to Brian, an abusive and controlling man. Brian has an estranged sister, Melanie, with whom he had a fiery relationship during their childhood and, in one way or another they have created havoc in each other's lives. Melanie's previously thwarted ambition to become a model finally materializes and she is later internationally acclaimed. When she introduces her mysterious fiancé to Catherine and Brian, a minefield of past emotions explodes. Jean-Marc, the French fiancé, also has a distinctive and colourful past, much of it spent with Catherine when they were both very much in love. But Jean-Marc has a secret skeleton in his cupboard l which was responsible for his rupture with Catherine.