Chapter Sixty Five

Chapter 65.

The other was that he had simply decided that, despite his fine words,

his promises, he expected payment in full for his investment in an unwanted

high-maintenance wife. Why else would he be planning to move into her

home when, as she had just discovered, there was no need?

How could he ask her to forgive him, when he wouldn’t be able to

forgive himself?

Instead he picked up her jacket, handed it to her in silence.

‘Bathroom?’ she enquired, so quietly that he could barely hear her.

‘Through here.’ He opened the door to his bedroom and the untouched

bed, just yards away, seemed to mock him. ‘You’ll find everything you’ll

need.’

Soap, hot water to wash him from her body.

She ducked through the opening, leaving him to straighten himself out.

Consider a future that was suddenly bleaker than he could have imagined

even a week ago. An hour ago. Then he’d had some hope.

He began to fasten his shirt, discovered that several of the buttons were

torn from it, and dug a fresh one out