‘Why did you follow me after I left to check on her?’

‘To see if she was all right, same as you.’

A slow smile spreads on Tom’s lips. ‘And you kissed me because …’

‘I knew you were stressed.’

‘Not because you were marking your territory?’

Kate flinches.

‘Had Jenna just told you I was going to leave you to be with her?’

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

‘Because I was. Once the retreat was over I was going to ask you for a divorce and Jenna and I were going to start a new life somewhere. Maybe in Gozo, maybe somewhere else. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere we could be alone.’

Kate turns away. Her husband’s new backbone is serrated and it’s puncturing her self-control. She wants to fly at him, to scream at him that he’s a cheat and a fantasist. But she won’t. She can’t. She’s going to have to suck it up and play the victim, turn the knife back on him.

‘Tom …’ When she turns back to look at him her eyes are wet with tears. ‘Please don’t do this.’

His face remains a blank.

‘I love you.’

Nothing.

‘I can change.’ She forces a sob into her voice. ‘I know you don’t like how brittle I can be, how argumentative, but I can get help.’ She reaches for him but he moves away. ‘Please, Tom. We can put things right. I love you. I’ve always loved you.’

‘I’m sorry, Kate.’

She feels light-headed but she’s not going to reach for her inhaler. She can still regain control. There’s only one weapon left in her arsenal; using it will be risky, but it’s all she’s got left.

‘If you leave me I’ll kill myself.’

Her arrow finds its target and Tom gasps.

‘It’s true.’ She pushes on, shoring up her advantage. ‘I can’t live without you, Tom. If you leave me, I’ve got nothing. My life is over.’ She throws herself at him, latching herself onto him like a limpet, her arms around his waist, her head against his chest. Then, dredging up her most painful childhood memories, she bursts into tears.

Tom doesn’t respond. He doesn’t wrap his arms around her, nuzzle the top of her head or murmur in her ear. He doesn’t comfort or console her. She may as well be hugging a lamppost for all the love she can feel. She pulls away so she can see his expression, and so he can see the tears on her face.

A smile pricks at the edges of Tom’s mouth and he lowers his chin to look at her. ‘Just when I thought you couldn’t sink any lower, you plumbed the depths. Nice try Kate, nice try.’