A compassionate portrait of a modern marriage, from one of our most astute writers on relationships and family life. 'Modern marriage and its compromises ... a terrific, compassionate, compelling novel' Daily Mail Over twenty years of marriage to Max, Prue has remained a busy, contented mother and step-mother. Now, Prue's step-daughter, Violet, has returned with her new husband from New York and, suddenly, Prue is precipitated into a secret life. As she moves between a sleepy village in Hampshire, and buzzing London, Prue finds herself crossing the boundary between innocence and knowledge, exploring the line between the gluttony and surrender of desire and facing the stark realities that result. Because while marriage can be a battle-ground, extraordinary bargains and accommodations are struck between people who love one another.