‘Did you just say strangling me?’

‘Yes, strangling you.’

She laughed as if he had absolved her. ‘But I’m not as puny as you think. I would fight you off. Did you not know that I pretended I couldn’t lift things, that I let you beat me at tennis, win when we raced? You have no idea how muscular I’ve become; how heavy I lift in the gym. I’m not afraid of you.’

She wanted him to laugh with her, but he didn’t. ‘You should be, Salma. You should.’

There was a silence after this. Hours when he did not contact her again. And it was revealing of how often they were texting and talking that six hours without him felt long and strange. The world became quiet again without the buzzing and flashing lights of her phone.

When it finally did ring, it was not him but Norma. ‘I’m still away, Mum. Is your shoulder not a bit better?’

‘Still away?’

‘Yes, I’m sorry. It’s only been a few days since we spoke.’

‘I’m aching all over, Salma, and the heating pad hasn’t been much help.’ There was an impatience in Norma’s voice. ‘I suppose you must have your holiday.’

‘I’ll be with you as soon I get back. I’ll pop round and give you a nice massage. I promise.’

‘What if I come to you now instead?’

She had to stop herself from laughing. ‘I’m nowhere near you, Mum. It’s best if you take some codeine.’

Norma grunted and ended the call.

Still no message from Amir, no calls, no wishing her goodnight or good morning. Instead of waking up to sobriety, feeling relieved or at least chastened, she felt deprived. ­Norma’s call hadn’t jolted her back to reality, back to weighing all that she could potentially lose. Neither had the messages from David and the children. Instead, she was sickening for Amir. When she could no longer bear the withdrawal of his attention, she texted him with her exact location, the address of the loch. She added the nearest airport, the nearest train station, the bus that could take him to the nearest village. ‘I’m waiting for you,’ she wrote.

She justified it to herself by saying that the least she could do to make amends was to give him the opportunity for revenge. He would not come, and she would be the one who had begged him to, the one who had lowered her pride and sullied her values for his sake. This time he would be the one to reject her. Then it could end. Fair and square between them. An even score.