‘Perhaps, but it won’t look good to a court if you leave her with your mother. Your husband will step into the primary parenting role. It doesn’t put you in a good and caring light.’

‘I understand that. This initial trip would be short, five days at most. If I got the job, I would consider taking Daisy with me to Bali. I’m sure I could enrol her in a local English-speaking school and work out the other child-care arrangements. My working hours would be flexible.’

‘Tricky,’ he said. ‘Let’s just go step by step. I will draw up a document for this quick trip, to give to your mother so she has power of attorney. That way she can make swift decisions if needed. Does your husband have any such arrangements in place?’

‘I don’t think so. He’s the one who always travelled for business. I stayed home with Daisy. My mother has been a very regular babysitter for her granddaughter when we needed her.’

‘Does your daughter have a passport?’

‘Yes. We were going to go to France for a holiday last year, but it didn’t come off at the last moment.’ Grace gritted her teeth, remembering the disappointment as Lawrence changed their plans and dumped the holiday in favour of a quick trip to Africa on his own for ‘important business’.

‘And you have the passports in your possession?’

‘Yes, fortunately. Lawrence kept all our passports in his office safe. It was convenient for him because he travelled a lot, and he wanted to keep them together. So they weren’t burned in the fire,’ she added grimly. ‘I asked Lawrence for Daisy’s so I could get copies of her vaccination records and her birth certificate to enrol her in the local school.’

‘And you have your own as well?’

‘Lawrence gave me his travel wallet and I took them both out,’ Grace said. ‘I had no idea I’d need mine so soon.’

‘As you say, that was very fortunate indeed.’ Mr Judd checked his notes. ‘So, as your intention is to divorce and you are supporting your daughter, a lucrative job is not to be passed up lightly. Especially as you have no financial arrangement with your husband as yet and, as you mentioned on the phone, there seems to be some issue over the insurance money.’

‘Yes, that’s right. And he hasn’t been forthcoming with any financial support,’ Grace said. ‘It’s not like I walked out of the marital home. There isn’t one.’

‘I understand. But you are living separately.’ He held up his hand as Grace went to interject. ‘I would say, go ahead and make arrangements to go to Bali for this first short trip. Does your husband have legal representation?’

‘I’m sure he does, but I don’t know who his lawyer is, I’m afraid.’

‘All right. I can find out. I’ll be in touch again soon, Grace.’ He rose and shook her hand.

*

A week later, Grace put her bags in the boot and got into the passenger seat of Tina’s car.