SO glad you’re OK, said Asila.

Don’t drop out of our lives entirely! pleaded Tracey.

And Good news you’re OK but wtf about no internet???? came from Jon ‘Monty’ Montagu.

Will had replied too. Her heart made a funny little misstep.

Clance,

I HATE how things are between us. I’m gutted I hurt you but once I realised that it wasn’t going to work … well, it wasn’t going to work. I think about you every day and hope that sometime you’ll forgive me.

Clancy swallowed a lump in her throat at this unexpected change in tone. Part of her wanted to reply that, of course, marrying someone when you loved someone else was absolutely wrong and she was moving on with her life.

The other part was tempted to be mean and sarcastic. It would have been a crowded marriage with three of us in it. Or, perhaps, I suppose you think that the nicer you are to me the easier I’ll be on you when it comes to reckoning up the value of my share of the apartment and the business?

Then she read the second paragraph:

I’ve thought long and hard about whether to say this, but … here goes. I don’t think I was the love of your life.

Clancy read the bald statement several times, her heart thumping.

I think when you fall for the love of your life you’ll be grateful that you and I didn’t settle for each other. I hope you don’t hate me for saying it.

For a few minutes, Clancy did think she hated Will. She certainly hated being forced to consider how he’d felt about Renée, that he’d risked everything, put himself in a highly uncomfortable situation, involved others, risked on their behalf … all for the love of his life. She tried to imagine herself ever risking everything for him.

After sipping her coffee and letting her heartbeat subside, she wrote:

I don’t hate you. And then: I’m glad you’re happy. If things hadn’t worked out for you with Renée after all …

She let that comment hang, a not-so-subtle hint that she’d feel worse if the misery he’d put her through had been for nothing. She ended: I’ve found a safe haven. Apart from those who weren’t keen on her because of Alice, she thought, clicking ‘send’ and remembering the suspicious way Aaron’s Aunt Norma had stared at her at the Artisans’ Hall.

She finished her coffee, giving the jumbled feelings about Will time to ease away while she read an email from her parents.

Well, we don’t really know what to say, darling, though we can see why you wanted to get away from the apartment – if you’re sure that leaving Will in possession was wise …? Are you coping with all this OK on your own? One of us could fly back for a visit, if you want.

Clancy, who couldn’t see what good a brief visit would do her, replied bracingly that it was really just a matter of coping with the fallout now. You brought me up to be independent, she added, which couldn’t be disputed.