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‘I don’t think there’s anything to talk about, Robin. You’ve been having an affair. For years. And I’ve known about it for years. I don’t know who she is and, frankly, I don’t care. I know that since Billy died you haven’t seen her, and I thought that I might be able to live with that. But as it turns out, I’m not sure I can. So, I want you to leave. And I want a divorce. Not right away but once we get the court case over and done with, I want you gone for good.’
Robin went to reach for her hand. Before he could, Kate stood up. ‘And I’m going to see Flora tomorrow, just so you know.’
‘What will you say to her?’ Robin looked terrified.
‘I haven’t decided yet.’ Kate turned her back on the river and started walking up to the house.
Robin watched her striding away, her dark red velvet dressing gown blowing behind her in the wind.
After Billy had died, he knew he wouldn’t ever leave Kate. It just hadn’t occurred to him that Kate already knew about the affair. Or that, if she did, she wouldn’t want to him to stay.
He looked back down towards the river. The thought of not living the rest of his life with Kate filled him with dread. He’d lost a son. Now he faced losing the woman he had loved for as long as he could remember. To risk it all had been the worst decision he’d ever made. Robin put his head in his hands and wept.
25
‘Mummy!’ Pip squealed as Flora stood in the playground, rushing up to meet her with Tom following close behind.
‘I’ve missed you so much!’ Flora hugged them both. ‘Have you been good for Tilda? Did you have a nice time?’ Flora looked around, spotting her friend coming towards her. ‘Tilda, I can’t thank you enough. Were they good?’
Tilda hugged her friend. ‘They were brilliant. We loved having them. How was it? Was Venice as heavenly as I imagine?’
‘It was really lovely, thank you. And honestly, it was so good to spend a bit of time together away from it all.’
Tilda put her hand on Flora’s arm. ‘I’m glad. Will you show me pics? I’ve got to run now but I want to hear all about it. Shall we get together on Friday?’
‘Definitely, but you come over to me with the kids. I owe you.’
‘Don’t be silly, you don’t owe me anything.’ Tilda smiled.
‘I really do. I’ll make sure I have something nice in the fridge, promise.’
‘You’d better, otherwise I’m not coming.’ Tilda laughed and turned to go.
Flora blew a kiss to her friend. ‘See you on Friday.’ She called to her children: ‘Right, let’s go home. Daddy will be back soon and he’s dying to see you, too. We missed you so much.’
‘Tilda let us stay up much later than you do,’ said Tom.
‘Not that much later, really. Only half an hour,’ Pip said, correcting him quickly.
‘Oh, it was much more than that.’ Tom looked at his sister, daring her to argue back.
‘Come on, let’s go. We’ve got to go via the supermarket, I’m afraid.’
‘Oh, please can we not? I hate going shopping; it’s so boring,’ Pip pleaded with her mother.
‘I know, I’m sorry but we’ll be really quick. What do you fancy tonight? How about I make some pasta like we had in Italy?’ She remembered the bowl of pasta on that first night in Venice, the taste and texture still fresh in her mind.
‘Fish fingers!’ It was Tom’s turn to plead.
‘But I hate fish fingers,’ wailed Pip.
‘No, we’ll have those on Friday. Pasta tonight.’ As she clambered into the car, her children still fighting over what they wanted to eat, Flora closed her eyes and took herself back to the gondola in Venice. The peace and stillness of the memory soothed her.
‘Mama, are you OK?’
Flora opened her eyes to see Pip looking up, a worried expression on her face.
‘Yes, I’m fine. I’m just a bit tired. It’s been a long day.’ She looked at them both, staring back at her expectantly, and smiled. ‘But I am very happy to be home.’
