Victoria Adams, aka Posh Spice, aka Easy V who doesn't come for free, aka one half of the most stylish couple in Britain, is showing me her socks. It's not a good look. They're Iime green and canary yellow with "Happy Birthday" and a cartoon birthday cake embroidered on them. They are without question the lamest socks I've ever seen. "Me and Mel B have a competition for who's got the best socks because we both like ones like this," she says dryly. "Of course, I've got a much better collection than her."

When you cast your mind back to the days when pouting Posh never even cracked a smile in public, let alone brandished crap socks, things have clearly moved on. But then nothing's quite the same as it was when the Spice .Girls were simply a pop group. Nowadays they are arguably the most famous people in the country and Victoria, thanks to doubling her fame quotient by getting engaged to Beckham (so famous he doesn't need a first name) is also one of the most harassed. You wouldn't know it to look at her. Five months pregnant and glowing, Victoria smiles a lot these days. In the space of an hour she uses the phrase "I'm happy" approximately 15 times. She is relaxed, easy company and delivers banter in a style which probably wouldn't come across in print.

First things first. Posh is not posh. She is essentially a nice, slightly shy girl from the suburbs who, much to her own amazement, won the lottery of pop and is just coming to terms with all that this entails. We meet the week after a tabloid published a kiss-and-tell story from a lapdancer who claims David was unfaithful while Victoria was in America (but more of that later).

Whatever you think you know about Posh and Beckham, at the end of the day (a phrase she over-uses, perhaps because she spends so much time around footballers) you really have to recognise that these are simply two people in their early 20's who are very much in love. And that's sweet. Call us soppy gits, but even cynical hacks can be moved on occasion...

Does It seem like it's you and David against the world?

Totally. I said that to him the other day, "It's me and you." I don't really care about anything else any more. I'm as happy as I could ever be and so is he, and that's the most important thing.

How does it feel looking back on the past few years?

It is pretty mad when you think about it. I was having my nails done and for some reason it struck me. We've made a film... It doesn't really occur to you at the time because you're always thinking about the next thing. I saw a clip recently of us collecting an MTV award and I thought, I remember us all lining up in the same queue to collect our dole money.

The title of your Christmas single Is Goodbye. Anything you want to tell us about the future of the group?

Ha ha. A lot of people have been saying that it's goodbye to the group or goodbye to the fans, but no way. It's just goodbye to things that have happened in the past.

Goodbye to Geri?

Well there are little tiny bits and pieces in there that could be associated with her, but it's not all about Geri. It's not like, "Ta da."

Does It feel like the calm after the storm In Spice world?

There was never really a storm. People kept asking, "Why's Geri left?" thinking there had been some huge argument, but she just wanted to move on. And that's fine -we've moved on. We're back in England after being away for a longtime and we're the happiest we've ever been. We give each other a lot of freedom. I think it's great that Melanie B had her single with Missy Elliott. It was a huge success, which was great. Should we expect any solo projects from Victoria? Yeah, but I haven't quite decided what. I'd like to do more acting -that's something that really interests me. Have you written any songs about David? Next you'll be suggesting we do a Christmas duet together like Kylie and Jason! No, I haven't yet, but I want to write songs on my own in the future. So you'll have to wait and see.

You're the only Spice who's been seen with Geri since the split. Do you got on with her better than the others?

We all get on well. I just happened to be in France when she was there and she called me up and said, "Do you want to go out for dinner?" The other girls speak to her as well. None of us forget where we came from. Without each other, we wouldn't be here.

Was that evening a bit strange?

Only because it was at George Michael's house and me and David couldn't stop giggling and tugging each other every time he got up and went to the toilet. We were, "God, we're having dinner with George Michael!" We were, like, so not cool.

Do you have any precious Wham! moments - snogging to Careless Whisper at school discos, for instance?

Not as a kid. My strongest Wham! memory was when me and the girls were doing a promotional tour in Brazil. We were on a boat going down the Amazon and we'd just got a best of Wham! CD. We put it on and had a little party.

David's just been voted the most stylish bloke In Britain. Is that your doing?

Definitely. Totally. I mean he's always dressed nicely, but I do pick a lot of his clothes. We go out shopping together and I buy him a lot of things, so I do take responsibility for it. And for the hair as well.

What about the sarong?

Yeah, that was my idea as well.

People were kind of divided on that one...

Well, people expect footballers to be in your Ralph Lauren shirt, Armani jeans and a pair of Gucci loafers. Which is fine. Maybe when I first met him he wouldn't have worn something like that, but I think we bring out different things in each other's personalities. ,

OKI magazine reckon you and David are the romantic story of the decade.

Well, me and David are very affectionate and we are very close. We've never ever put on a show, that's just the way it is. We're very touchy and cuddly with each other. But I think sometimes people like to throw a spanner in the works, which I find really sad.

Are you referring to the recent tabloid kiss-and- tell stories about him?

Yeah. But as long as I know the truth, David knows the truth and my family know the truth, that's all that matters to me. I know I'm with someone I can trust 110 per cent and I know he can do the same with me. The rest is just, "Think what you want and I don't give a sh#@!.

Was it all a big set-up, then?

It was... um, I don't know what I'm allowed to say because there are sort of court cases going on. But people can lie.

That's all I'm saying. People can really lie.

Have any famous blokes come on to you?

A few people have tried to chat me up, actually. Maybe more, but I'm so naive I didn't even realise.

Anyone you were tempted by?

I wouldn't be tempted by anyone. I really don't think it's easy having a celebrity boyfriend. Obviously I don't think of him as a celebrity, but you know, someone who is known. People get jealous and says things and try and get their oar in. But David is the most faithful person I could ever hope to be with. And I wouldn't be tempted by anyone. I know that's boring, but I'm so happy and I'm in love so I can't even think of anyone apart from him.

So how Is It, being with child?

Well I'm starting to get bigger here (indicates swelling Spice stomach) and whenever David's around he's always putting his head on my tummy and listening to everything swooshing about in there. I've just started being able to feel it kicking. David's over the moon about the whole thing. It's all he talks about. And he sends me little messages on my phone like, "Hope you're looking after the baby." I'm not meaning to make you throw up here, but when we go for the scans he comes back and he shows everybody the little picture, absolutely everybody. It's like he thinks he's the only person in the world to have ever made a baby.

Does pregnancy make you hornier and want sex more?

Yes it does actually.

Is It true that footballers aren't allowed to have sex the night before a match?

It's down to the individual. Everybody's different... so I've heard. All I'm saying is, we don't sleep in separate beds the night before a match.

Does It turn you on watching David play football?

Now when I watch him it's almost like there's two different Davids - the one on the pitch and the one I'm in love with. I do still look at him and think, "Cor, nice pair of legs!" which is pretty good after two years. But I also think that the biggest attraction or turn-on is talent. Generally speaking, though, I never fancy footballers and I wouldn't have fancied any of the others. Actually when I first met David my mum said, "Oh no, dear, don't go out with a footballer. "

Do you two ever have a kick-about at home?

It was funny, because the other day he was getting his little bag ready for football - his little boots and his shin pads - so I put on the shin pads and boots and the shirt and started running up and down the corridor. He was going, "Come and have a game," and I'm like, "David I can't, I'm pregnant."

You do realise that's every bloke's fantasy. Have you ever done a David Mellor - you know, when he wore his Chelsea shirt In bed with Antonia de Sancha?

No, I didn't mean it like that! I was wearing thick, stripey pyjamas at the time. It was totally unsexy. It was just a bit of a laugh.

Does David come back from matches with bruises all over his body?

No, he's quite good. He doesn't get injured that much, touch wood. He comes back with other things, though. The other day I was emptying out the washing bin and thinking, "There's something a bit dodgy in here," like a rat had crawled in there and died. Right at the bottom I found this screwed up Spanish football shirt. This bloke's obviously taken off his shirt at the end of the game and given it to David and it's got Spanish sweat on it that's just been moulding at the bottom of my washing bin for days.

It probably belonged to some Spanish national hero.

I think it did - that's why he took it. Didn't stop it stinking everything out, though.

Was It hard for you both after the World Cup?

Not really. It was hard for David. I think a lot of people were very unfair. They used his head as a dart board. They absolutely slated him and then a couple of months on everybody's started saying he's great again, how he's going to save the day for England.

Did you have to support him a lot emotionally afterwards?

He actually got a lot of criticism because as soon as the World Cup finished he came out to see me. I don't know what people expected him to do - go home and cry or what - but I hadn't seen him for a couple of months.

What are the most common misconceptions about David?

Well, a lot of people think he's thick, don't they? It's not true. He's very intelligent, he's got loads to say, he's got lots of ideas and business plans, he loves kids and he's brilliant with them. He wants to set up a soccer school for kids one day. Now he's being portrayed as a bit of a lad, going out with his mates and getting drunk. That's a complete misconception. He's just fun. The other thing people say about us is that we're only interested in clothes and shopping. We like shopping, but there's a lot more to us than that.

When was the last time he sent you flowers?

He's very thoughtful like that. He's always sent me flowers. When I was in America, he sent them to me every day. I send him flowers as well.

What, to the Old Trafford dressing room?

No, not to the dressing room. (She laughs) Imagine that, "Have a good game darling!" I might do that one day for a laugh. That would be very funny. Actually, I'm definitely going to do that. Do you know all David's team-mates? Not really. (Whispers conspiratorially) I don't really know them. I'm sure they're all very nice people, but I'm not really a football-type person. We went out with Teddy Sheringharn and his girlfriend the other night and they were really nice. But generally, I find the whole thing quite difficult to understand.

Have you dragged David along to any' pre-natal classes?

Whenever we're together he comes everywhere with me. We do absolutely everything together. We even go to the toilet together. We were going to have two toilets built next to each other in the new apartment, but we decided not to in the end.

Finally, if you could write a headline about yourself for this time next year, what would It be?

(After a long pause) Happily ever after.