She paused, and then it seemed as though she’d just remembered something important. ‘Look at my marriage to Salem. It was also a disaster. I’ll never forgive him for as long as I live for kicking you out and banishing you to Abu Kabir. And for what reason? Because you went out to protest against the British, just like the other students? How can that be?’ ‘That was a feeble excuse,’ Medhat said. ‘The real reason was that Salem….’ He stopped abruptly, before continuing. ‘The truth is I can understand why he did it. None of us are angels. At the end of the day, we’re all human and I can put myself in his shoes. You were his final refuge after several failed marriages. Can you blame him for wanting you all to himself without anyone else in the picture? You came to him with a child from the co
