Allie hummed to herself as she wiped down the kitchen worktop. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d felt like humming but it was nice. Things were still far from right, of course, but over the past few days she’d had a sense that peace was somewhere on the horizon and after the turmoil of the last year it was enough to fill her with contentment. If happiness was still out of reach, then peace and contentment would do. She was hopeful too, that an understanding that might lead to reconciliation between her and Greg was now within their grasp. It had taken a long time to get here, and the road had been torturous, but they seemed to be getting there. The night before Greg had even suggested that they go away as a family – not far, perhaps a drive to the coast and an overnight stay in a little B&B. They’d surprise Josh on Saturday morning and maybe it would go some way to making up for the atmosphere in the house that he must have been able to pick up on, even if he hadn’t been able to fully understand it.

So Greg had taken him to school that morning, returned to get as much work as he could done and after lunch had gone to the village post office, telling Allie that he’d pick Josh up and get something nice for dinner on the way home. He was trying, and she had to be grateful for that.

She glanced at the clock to see it was just after four, meaning they ought to be in soon. Putting the cloth to one side, Allie raced upstairs and checked her reflection in the full-length mirror before spritzing herself with the perfume Greg had bought her for Christmas. She kicked off her flip-flops and stepped into her heeled shoes. They weren’t planning to go anywhere, but it didn’t hurt to look good when he got back.

She threw the mirror one last glance before going to the stairs, where she heard the key slot into the lock of the front door and Josh raced in, shedding bags and shoes along the hallway.

‘Hey, Mum!’ he shouted before squeezing past her and into his bedroom.

‘It’s nice to know he misses me when he’s at school.’ She smiled at Greg as she descended; he’d followed Josh inside and was now picking up his shoes.

‘I think there’s some online gaming tournament planned for about half an hour’s time,’ Greg said, but he didn’t return Allie’s smile. In fact, he looked grave, and the sight of it turned Allie’s insides to stone.

‘Everything OK?’ she asked.

‘I don’t know.’ Greg went through to the kitchen, Allie following. ‘Perhaps you can tell me, because I’m confused.’

‘About what?’

‘When I was in the post office, that woman from Silver Hill Farm came in and we got chatting.’

‘Harper?’ Allie asked, instinctively grasping for the back of a chair as the strength seemed to ebb from her legs. He’d been chatting to Harper? What were the chances of him bumping into her? Allie had banked on her being so busy at the farm and Greg so seldom venturing into the village that they would hardly lay eyes on each other, let alone strike up a conversation. But he frowned and shook his head.

‘The other one… Pip, is it?’

Allie nodded, her heartbeats tripping over one another. She swallowed, gripping the chair a little tighter as she struggled to compose herself.

‘Oh,’ she said, fighting to keep her tone neutral. ‘And what did you chat about?’

Greg looked her squarely in the eye. ‘Mostly about Harper and Shay’s wedding.’

‘She must have decided to forgive him,’ Allie replied in a weak voice.

‘Maybe. But the way she talked, it was as if nothing had been amiss at all. Allie… tell me the truth… did you tell Harper about you and Shay?’

‘Of course I did—’

‘No!’ Greg cut in. ‘You didn’t! You say you love me but you can’t even extend to me the most basic courtesy of the truth! How can I believe you love me when everything that comes from your mouth is a lie? Don’t tell me you love me and then lie to me about this when you know how important it was for me to know everything was out in the open.’ He turned his back, knuckles white on the sink as he stared out of the window. ‘We’re done,’ he said in a low voice.

‘Greg, please… let me explain.’

‘What with – more lies?’

‘I couldn’t tell her! Don’t you see it would have destroyed her and Shay said—’

He spun round to face her, the muscles of his jaw working as he stared her down. ‘Shay said? Don’t tell me you discussed this with him!’

‘He was there,’ she said miserably. ‘When I went to see Harper he was there and he begged me not to tell her. He said it would break her heart.’

‘Well that’s alright then,’ Greg said. ‘As long as Shay’s happy then that’s alright… doesn’t matter what I want or what I think is right – doesn’t matter if Harper is being played for a fool by a man who would fuck any passing woman as soon as look at her! As long as Shay is alright then let’s give thanks to the gods!’

‘It’s not like that…’ Allie sniffed hard, but the tears came anyway.

‘Then please tell me, Allie: what is it like?’

‘I don’t know, I—’

‘Save it. I want you to leave.’

‘I’ll go and see Harper; I’ll do it now—’

‘It’s too little too late. I want you to go upstairs and say goodbye to Josh and then I want you to pack your things and go.’

‘Now?’

‘Now.’

‘But what will I tell Josh?’ Allie sobbed.

‘I’ll leave that up to you – after all, you’re good at lying so I’m sure you can think of something.’

‘Greg, think about this – it’s not fair on him.’

‘It wasn’t fair on him when you spent the night in Shay McArthur’s bed! It wasn’t fair on him when you lied to us again and again! There’s no putting right your wrongs and I can’t believe I almost thought there was.’

Allie dropped into the chair, her legs finally giving way. ‘I have nowhere to go.’

‘I’m sure Shay will have room in his bed when I’ve been to see his fiancée.’

‘You can’t!’

‘I can and I will. How could you live with yourself knowing you were going to condemn that woman to a sham of a marriage? Wasn’t it bad enough that you’d destroyed yours without doing it to someone else’s before it had even begun?’

‘Greg, please…’

‘Go and pack. I’m calling a cab, and I expect you to get in it.’