‘She wasn’t in so much shock that she couldn’t fawn over Matt and Freya, not to mention how she acted like Charlotte was her daughter-in-law instead of me! Honestly, Ben, you have no idea how hard today was for me.’

Ben rubbed his forehead wearily. ‘I don’t think Mum would have done anything to upset you deliberately.’

‘Pah!’ I snorted. She couldn’t have been more deliberate in the way she had excluded me today. ‘She was off with me from the minute we arrived. She barely said “hello” then turned her back on me and stomped into the kitchen without attempting to take Elodie. You’d think she’d have been desperate to see her.’

‘As I said, I think she had other things on her mind. Come on, Bella, give her a break.’

Ben sounded exhausted and upset but I couldn’t feel sympathy for him. ‘She didn’t worry about how I was feeling when she insisted that your ex come and sit with us and went out of her way to make me feel left out.’ I could feel the tears welling up.

Ben gave an irritated sigh. ‘You didn’t exactly try to integrate, though, did you?’

‘I did!’ I shouted, swiping at the tears that were now rolling down my cheeks. ‘But you were too busy ignoring me to notice!’ I looked at him defiantly, waiting for a reply, but he just gripped the steering wheel and stared at the road ahead. ‘You can’t even deny it!’ I added, knowing that I was pushing him to the edge.

‘Oh, for Christ’s sake!’ Ben slammed the steering wheel with the flat of his hand. ‘It was my dad’s funeral, Bella! Why are you being like this?’

I had never seen Ben lose it like that and I jumped with surprise. ‘Ben! Stop being so aggressive! You’re scaring me and you’re scaring Elodie.’

As if to illustrate my words, Elodie, who had been sleeping soundly in her car-seat, began to cry. I twisted around so that I could shush her and calm her down and after a few moments, she began to drop off to sleep again. I looked at Ben in disgust. He really didn’t think about anyone other than himself and he had hardly glanced at Elodie all day.

I sat back in my seat, waiting for Ben to do what he usually did and apologize but he just drove in silence. In front of us, the sun was a heavy ball of orange, sinking fast in the purple sky. It was a stunningly beautiful view, but I hardly noticed, as my thoughts raced. ‘So you’re sulking now, then?’

Ben sighed. ‘No, Bella, I’m not sulking. I’m just trying to get my head around today. It’s been a horrible day.’

‘Yes, it has,’ I agreed quietly, folding my hands in my lap. ‘I’m glad it’s over.’

Ben didn’t reply.

‘And at least we’ve got the move to focus on now.’

‘Yes.’

Ben couldn’t have sounded less interested if he’d tried. I wondered whether I should let it drop for now and discuss it later but I didn’t want to. I needed to let him know that I had had a change of heart, so I continued. ‘You know, maybe we shouldn’t move to Suffolk, after all? Maybe Surrey would be better.’