Gavin Hughes

Gavin Hughes is a lawyer, and the partner of Miles Mollison. He is also Barry Fairbrother's best friend.

For most of the book in an unhappy relationship with Kay (mother of Gaia). He however realizes that he is in fact truly in love with Mary Fairbrother (widow of Barry Fairbrother). He just wants to spilt up with Kay, but he feels immensely guilty about this, because he has unintentionally uprooted her from her Hackney home, along with her daughter (who detests Gavin for this, and though her mother cannot see it, also resents Gavin's obvious "stringing Kay along" attitude). Gavin does eventually tell Kay how he feels, before going to tell Mary he adores her. Mary however tells Gavin that she is only friends with him, nothing more, and Gavin briefly wishes he still had Kay.