I put my bags by the front door and locked the shed and the front door and put the keys into an envelope. All I had with me now were some clothes and my passport and purse. A box of papers was at my parents’ house. Nothing else mattered.

There was a beep of a car horn. The taxi had arrived. My car was gone, sold to my local garage, but when I looked up and saw the black taxi, parked at the side of the road in the spot I’d always had to park in, it reminded me so much of those years living with Tom that I leaped up, ready to get as far away as possible. The taxi driver came to pick up my suitcase.

“Going on holiday?” he asked.

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know where I was going or how long I’d be there. “Yes,” I said in the end. “I’m going away for a while.”

•   •   •

Before we headed to the airport I asked the driver to stop at the estate agent’s so that I could hand over the keys to my house. They were handling the sale for me. He had to double-park and warned me to be quick, so I ran into the little office. Outside the sun was bright and when I entered the dim, cool reception area it took a moment for my eyes to adjust. In that moment I heard a familiar voice say, “How soon can the For Sale board go up? I really want a quick sale.” I stopped in my tracks.

Sitting at a desk, chatting to one of the estate agents, was a woman I recognized. A woman I’d betrayed and who’d rescued me when I needed it most. Her face looked strained and pale. Her hands rested on her belly; it still looked flat but I knew that would change soon. My face burned with embarrassment. She lifted her chin and gave me a cool nod, then turned away.

I tried to smile, but I couldn’t, and handed over the envelope to the woman behind the other desk. I hurried from the office to the taxi as though Emma might chase after me.

“Okay, love?” asked the driver. “Manchester airport now?”

I nodded. “Yes. Thanks.”

“What time’s your flight?”

“Oh, I’ve got a few hours.”

I pretended I was sleeping on the journey to the airport so that the driver didn’t talk to me. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I’d overheard. Emma was selling their house. Were she and Harry having a fresh start, too?

We drew up at the airport ninety minutes later. I climbed out and paid the driver and took my bags into the terminal.