After Dad leaves the room, Mum turns to me and holds me close. “I’m sorry, Briony. I feel I’m to blame.”
“How could you be?” I ask. “It had nothing to do with you.” I bury my head into her shoulder.
“I should have realised. He’s always had a wandering eye. I pretended it didn’t bother me. I should have faced up to him before now,” she says
“It wouldn’t have been so bad if it was only his eye which wandered,” I say, trying to lighten the mood by introducing a hint of dark humour.
Mum gives me an indulgent smile. “I’m certain there have been other times. I didn’t challenge him when I should have. I didn’t question his philandering, thinking it was only a temporary aberration and he’d soon tire and come back to me. Not for one moment did I suspect he’d take up with a girl half his age, an
