Ben bit his lip.

‘Because I’ll find out if you do,’ I added, adopting my most menacing tone. ‘And I won’t be very happy.’

‘Don’t worry,’ he attempted a smile, ‘I won’t tell her anything.’

‘Good, because there’s nothing to tell, is there?’

‘No.’

‘Right, well you’d better get on and finish making my dinner,’ I said, heading out of the kitchen. ‘I’m going to have a bath. Let me know when it’s ready.’

Ben leaped up, already so much more energized. I pressed Leo’s number as I walked up the stairs.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Ben waited until she had safely left for work before he packed. He didn’t want her to criticize or comment on what he was taking. ‘Remember what I said – don’t be telling any lies about me!’ she threw over her shoulder, as she walked out of the door.

Ben exhaled with relief as he watched her car pulling out of the drive, still not quite daring to believe that she was actually letting him go. He sensed that she might have an ulterior motive that involved Leo, but right now he didn’t care. If that was the price he had to pay for seeing his mum, then so be it.

He shook his head, remembering her instruction to him not to tell any lies about her. He’d be doing nothing BUT telling lies for the next twenty-four hours. He’d be making out that he was fulfilled and happy and that his life wasn’t an absolute misery. He’d be hiding the fact that he was married to a woman who thought nothing of punching him, kicking him or – her current favourite – pulling his hair, if he committed any sort of minor transgression that provoked her fury. Sometimes, she just seemed to be in the mood for a fight, so she would pick an argument just to provide her with an excuse for lashing out.

Yes, he thought, as he loaded Elodie and their bags into the car, it was telling the truth that he needed to avoid.

‘See Granny!’ Elodie chirped excitedly from the back seat.

Ben looked at her in the rear-view mirror and smiled. ‘Yes, you are, sweetheart. And about time, too,’ he muttered under his breath.

‘’Bout time too!’ she parroted and Ben made a mental note to be careful what he said and did in front of her, now that she was able to repeat any conversations that she overheard.

The two-hour journey seemed to take an eternity. Now that they were finally going, Ben was physically aching to get there as quickly as possible and every traffic hold-up had him clenching his teeth with anxiety.

Finally, they pulled onto the old, familiar gravel driveway. Ben lifted Elodie out of her car-seat and gazed up at the beautiful sandstone façade of the house where he’d grown up. Even before stepping inside, he had the feeling that it had changed a great deal in the time since he was last here. It looked slightly tired and a bit sorry for itself, much like his mum who, at that very moment, opened the door and ran out to greet them.