Douglas was still sitting at the end of the bed. Evie waited for him to get up and leave the room, but he didn’t move. They sat in silence for more than a minute. At first she thought he’d fallen asleep sitting upright.

Suddenly he got up and moved around to the other side of the bed. He sat down on the edge, closer to where she was.

‘Here’s the situation as I see it. This morning we were both prepared to go into this marriage with our eyes open. We were both prepared to take the risk. Then Veronica Leighton comes along and throws a party, knowing bloody well it is the last thing on earth I want. According to Arthur you got caught up in her little coven of bitches and heard some things you didn’t want to hear and which were almost certainly all untrue. This kind of thing is exactly why I didn’t want a wedding party. If I could kill that woman I’d happily do it. I tolerate her only because Arthur, who is the only truly decent person I know, is lumbered with her. Since neither you nor I has any time for the woman, why are we letting her ruin our marriage before it’s even started?’

‘Veronica Leighton is not the reason I’m leaving. You are.’

‘Fair enough. And I’ve apologised. But she is the reason I behaved the way I did today.’

Evie’s patience was wearing thin. ‘For heaven’s sake. She threw a party you didn’t want to go to. That’s no reason to dump me among a bunch of strangers then send me home alone. That’s no reason for you not being able to stand the sight of me enough to have dinner on a single occasion since I’ve been in this godforsaken country.’

He sighed. ‘You’re right. When you put it like that. I’m sorry, Evelyn. I’ve behaved badly to you.’

She couldn’t help snapping back at him. ‘And call me Evie. No one’s called me Evelyn since my mother.’

Recognising the accusation he’d made himself the evening they’d met, he smiled. It broke the tension and she found herself smiling too. He reached a hand out and touched her arm, taking her hand in his. ‘Give me a chance, Evie. Forgive me. I’ll try to make things right between us.’

Evie was uncertain. Still bruised from what had happened, she wasn’t ready to trust Douglas.

‘I don’t know. When we talked that first night I thought we’d got things straight but it seems we hadn’t. I can’t cope with a marriage where my husband won’t even eat with me.’

He shook his head. ‘What more can I say? I’m sorry. I’m not great company. I don’t like small talk.’ He sighed. ‘Look. I’m going to be as straight as I can. I married for love the first time. Maybe this time round if it’s on a more practical footing we may just make a go of it. I can’t love you, Evie. But I can be civil to you. I’m not a great conversationalist but if you don’t mind long silences I’ll sit down and have dinner with you whenever I’m here in George Town. I don’t–‘