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convalesce when I was discharged? Had she moved in with Tim? Was she sleeping in the bed we had shared? It mattered a great deal. And explained a whole lot more.
    â€˜I met her last summer,’ Tim said.
    â€˜So she’s the reason you haven’t been able to find the time to come and see me. And there was I believing you when you said you just couldn’t fit me into your busy schedule. I suppose she’s the reason you wanted me out of the flat, too.’
    Tim said nothing, and I knew I’d hit the nail on the head.
    â€˜What a fool I’ve been!’ I said bitterly. ‘Making excuses for you to everyone. Even to myself. I knew things weren’t good between us, but I never imagined you were cheating on me . . . well, not to this extent . . . How could you do it, Tim? How could you just string me along? And don’t say it’s because you felt sorry for me, please. Because that would just be adding insult to injury.’
    From the way Tim’s mouth opened and closed I knew he’d been on the point of saying exactly that.
    â€˜You bastard,’ I said softly. My hands were tightly clenched on my knees because what I really wanted to do was hit him.
    â€˜We didn’t get seriously involved until a couple of months ago,’ he said lamely.
    â€˜And that makes it all right?’
    â€˜Well, no, but . . . I’ve said I’m sorry, Sally, and I am.’
    I shook my head, laughed without humour.
    â€˜You know what is so funny about this? I was actually going to tell you that I wasn’t sure that I wanted to be with you any more, and I was worried about doing it. Worried about hurting you. Well, more fool me.’
    â€˜
You’ve
met someone else?’ Tim looked, and sounded, as shocked as I had felt a few minutes ago.
    â€˜Hardly,’ I said dryly. ‘But if I had I’d never have done this to you. I’d never have crept about behind your back, lied to you, cheated on you . . .’
    The look of relief on his face was so palpable I had to once again restrain the urge to hit him. The conceit of him! He couldn’t bear the thought that I might have actually decided that I preferred to be with someone other than him – his ego simply couldn’t stand it. What on earth had I ever seen in him?
    â€˜So,’ I said, getting my temper under control. ‘I suppose the reason you’re coming clean now is that you want to set up home with this . . . woman.’
    Tim had the grace to look a bit shamefaced.
    â€˜Well . . . yes.’
    â€˜And you want me out of the flat. Permanently.’
    â€˜Oh, good gracious, no! I wouldn’t expect you to leave, Sally. The plan is for me to move in with Paula. She has a cottage in Winton – very convenient for the airport. But don’t worry, I’ll pay my whack of the rent on the flat until you can find someone else to share with you, or are in a position to afford it yourself.’
    â€˜Well thanks, but I couldn’t possibly accept it,’ I said stiffly, my pride kicking in.
    â€˜I insist. I wouldn’t leave you in the lurch while you’re incapacitated.’
    â€˜Hopefully that won’t be for much longer. I mean it, Tim – I don’t want your money.’
    â€˜We’ll see about that. But thanks for being so understanding, and taking it so well, Sally.’
    I snorted. Actually, I hadn’t taken it well at all. Given that I’d been agonizing over how I was going to end things myself I should have been grateful that he’d handed it to me on a plate. Instead, I was surprised how hurt I was, knowing he’d been sneaking around with someone else – falling in love with her – while I was coping with the devastating consequences of my accident.
    I had no intention of letting him know that, though. His ego was quite big enough already.
    â€˜Right,’ I said, sounding far calmer than I felt. ‘I suggest we go and have a