‘There’s not too much of that to do by the time the kids are old enough for school,’ I corrected, my eyes trying to shut out the proximity of the registration plate in front.

Jonathan pulled back a little and was quiet for a mile or so.

‘Are we OK, Hattie?’ he eventually asked, as we reached the outskirts of Wynbridge in record time.

I shrugged, unwilling to appease him.

‘I never meant to hurt you, you know?’

Wasn’t that what all the people who abused those they allegedly loved said?

‘And I can promise you, it will never happen again.’

That I knew was lifted straight from the handbook because I’d heard it before.

‘I seem to remember,’ I told him, ‘you said something very much like that the last time I stayed in this town.’

He nodded, staring straight ahead.

‘I know,’ he said. ‘I know. Are you going to bin me off, Hattie?’

‘Not today,’ I sighed, leaning forward as the churchyard came into view. ‘You can drop me here. There’s Dolly, look.’

My friend was tending to her late husband’s grave and I was grateful that she was alone.

Jonathan indicated and pulled over a little distance away.

‘What I am going to do,’ I said, taking off my seatbelt and twisting around to face him, ‘is have a good long think about everything that’s happened between us today and I don’t want you to get in touch with me, Jonathan. I need some space. A week at least.’

My mind tracked back to the email from Mum as I imagined him saying something similar to her and Dad the Christmas before last.

‘Oh, come on,’ he said, slapping his hands on the steering wheel. ‘That’ll take us practically up to Christmas. It’s a ridiculous request.’

‘It might be to you,’ I told him, ‘but it’s not to me.’

‘I’ve just told you it won’t happen again.’

It still hadn’t occurred to him to say he was sorry, not that it would have made any difference to what I had decided I had to do.

‘Open the boot and I’ll get my bags,’ I carried on. ‘I’m guessing you aren’t going to get out to talk to Dolly?’

The vein in his neck was throbbing and the temper which he had promised wouldn’t be putting in an appearance ever again was already waving at the sidelines, demanding centre stage. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had decided to speak to Dolly, if only to tell my friend that I’d promised I’d cut my time with her short.

‘No,’ he said, flicking the boot catch, ‘I won’t be talking to her today.’

I climbed out, feeling relieved as Dolly straightened up, spotted me and waved. I waved back.