‘Is that really your idea of what being a parent is all about? Getting to be father of the bride?’

‘Do you know what, Paula? It is, actually. It’s not the only thing, but it’s part of it. And it would be for any man.’

‘That’s ridiculous! It’s like saying her whole value is dependent on whether she has her big day in white.’

‘That’s not what I mean and you know it. Look, you can have the house and everything that’s in it. You’re welcome to it. Just as long as I never have to see either of you again.’

‘You’re just saying that to hurt me. You might feel that about me, but I don’t believe you really feel that about Daisy.’

‘Oh, but I do. I don’t feel anything for her. I never did. And it seems to me that the feeling’s mutual. Half the time, she barely seems to know I exist. So what difference will it make to her if I’m gone? She’d be more upset if someone took a hammer to that wretched keyboard. And don’t kid yourself I haven’t thought about it.’

‘You wouldn’t.’

‘But I would, Paula. To be honest with you, if I stay in this house any longer I don’t know what I might take a hammer to.’

We stared at each other. I said, ‘Are you threatening me?’

‘No, Paula. I’m leaving you. Both of you. Because otherwise, you’re going to drive me mad. And you can’t stop me.’

‘You’re a bastard.’

‘You’re a bitch. But that didn’t make us compatible, did it?’

I moved closer to him. He was taller than me by several inches, and stronger. I wanted to hurt him but I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it with my hands. He had to look at me with fear in his eyes. The least he could do was to show me that respect.

‘You don’t get to talk like that about my daughter,’ I said. ‘One of these days I’m going to come for you. And when I do, you’re going to regret this for the rest of your life.’

He pulled a mocking face. ‘Are you trying to threaten me? Right now, that is an infinitely less terrifying prospect than staying here with the two of you.’

And with that he picked up his case and sauntered out, closing the front door behind him.

I listened to the car start, reverse out of the driveway, turn in the road and roar away.

And then I heard something else: the beginning of ‘Greensleeves’.

I went into the living room. Daisy had got down off the sofa and was sitting on the floor. She looked up at me uncomprehendingly, but with a kind of startled hopefulness, as if I might be about to make sense of a few things for her.

‘Just you and me for supper tonight, Daisy,’ I said. ‘Daddy’s gone.’

I had no idea whether she had understood or not. She pressed the keyboard and ‘Greensleeves’ started again.