She didn’t know if she wanted to kick something or just burst into tears. When she was sure he wouldn’t be back, she got up and ran upstairs to her bedroom. Mark had been right that she was desperate to touch something, but it wasn’t herself. She rummaged through the drawer in her nightstand, quickly uncovering the old jewellery box she kept buried at the bottom. Then she sat on the bed and opened it, savouring the moment as she took out the envelope that was inside and tipped its contents onto the bed. The sight of the money strewn across the counterpane soothed her, and for a while she just gazed at it, letting it work its magic. Then she picked up the notes and counted them again and again until she felt her helpless rage dissipate and a sense of calm return. She had been squirreling money away for almost six months now. She had to keep it in cash because she couldn’t risk paperwork turning up that might alert Mark to what she was doing. He controlled all the finances, and while he spent lavishly on her, he kept a very close watch on everything she spent herself.
