by Barbara Vine
“Is it the same one?” Iris whispered to me.
I don't know. If it was it is perhaps a sign of the perfect accord between Ivor and his wife.
About the Author
Barbara Vine is the pen name of Ruth Rendell. Her books include the award-winning A Dark-Adapted Eye, King Solomon's Carpet, and, most recently, The Minotaur. Ruth Rendell sits in the House of Lords as a Labour peer. She lives in Maida Vale, London.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2008 by Kingsmarkham Enterprises Ltd.
All rights reserved.
www.crownpublishing.com
Shaye Areheart Books and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Vine, Barbara, The birthday present / Barbara Vine.—1st ed.
1. Politicians—Great Britain—Fiction. 2. Scandals—Fiction.
3. Adultery—Fiction. 4. Political fiction. I. Title.
PR6068.E63B57 2009
823′.914—dc22 2008050234
eISBN: 978-0-307-45199-6
v3.0
