Fay Weldon lets her incisive wit loose on a hot issue facing many modern
families -- child care, and what can happen when that involves having a
nanny under your roof. Hattie and Martyn are the proud parents of
newborn Kitty; both are in their early thirties, smart, handsome, and,
for reasons of liberal principle, not married but partnered. All seems
fine at first -- healthy baby, happy couple -- but when they have to
decide who'll look after little Kitty, things get complicated. Hattie's
dying to get back to work but Martyn fears employing foreign help might
hurt his leftist political aspirations. Martyn capitulates when Agnieska
arrives -- a Polish nanny who happens to be both domestic goddess and
first-rate belly dancer, the maker of a mean cup of cocoa who's also
educated in early childhood development. Having her in the house makes
life livable again for the young couple, so when problems arise with her
immigration papers Martyn and Hattie will do anything to keep her in the
country. But will their decision to have Martyn marry her be the
trouble-free solution they envision.