‘It’s not quite like that.’ He was still holding his cardboard cup in both hands, as if using it to warm them. ‘The fact is that Gwyneth is extremely jealous.’

‘If she is,’ said Carole tartly, ‘according to Jude’s friends, you’ve given her reason to be.’

‘All right. I’m not claiming to be guilt-free in all of this.’

‘And is that why you moved away from Ilkley?’

‘Of course it is. After what Gwyneth did, I couldn’t stay up there. I had become a laughing stock.’

‘So, what made you choose Fethering?’

‘It was about as far away as we could get. And Gwyneth had some recollections of having happy childhood holidays in Littlehampton. I thought making a complete change might … well, might save our marriage.’

‘And how has that process been going so far?’

‘Good. Well, good in some respects. Good, in that Gwyneth hasn’t gone around vilifying me in Fethering, like she did in Ilkley.’

‘You still haven’t explained about the wheelchair.’

‘No. Well, I’m afraid that was part of her deal.’

‘Deal?’

‘Yes. Gwyneth made certain conditions when we moved down here. Things that I had to agree to if the marriage was to continue. She’s a very powerful woman, you know, Carole.’

‘Is she?’ came the dry response.

‘I’m afraid … I’m not proud to say this, but throughout our marriage … I’ve always done what she asked me to.’

‘Done what she told you to, do you mean?’

‘I suppose so. I wanted to have children. Gwyneth didn’t. So, we don’t have children.’

‘I see.’ Carole was glad she hadn’t made any comment when Gwyneth had confided that detail to her.

‘Haven’t you been tempted to leave her at times?’ asked Carole. After all, even she had a divorce behind her.

‘Oh, I couldn’t do that,’ said Adrian, as if she’d suggested the unthinkable. ‘Gwyneth and I couldn’t part.’

‘And yet you quite happily went off to have an affair.’

‘I don’t think “quite happily” would be the best way of describing that situation.’

Carole shrugged. ‘Up to you. You still haven’t told me about the wheelchair. Is Gwyneth physically disabled or not?’

‘She might as well be.’

‘What kind of an answer’s that?’

‘I mean that was one of the conditions she made when moving down here. That she would be in a wheelchair and I would do everything for her.’

‘But that’s madness.’

‘It was the deal. It was the deal I agreed to.’

‘Is it her form of punishment for you?’

‘Yes.’ He put down his cup of coffee, which must have gone cold by now, and rubbed the back of his hand against his furrowed brow. ‘My punishment. As I say, she’s a very jealous woman.’