Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting

08:13 Surbiton to Waterloo

Piers is enjoying tutoring Martha and watching her improve. He learns that her school needs math teachers. Iona begins coaching Martha on her audition for the school play. She recruits a muscular man sitting next to her, Jake, to be their audience.

18:17 Waterloo to Hampton Court

Iona feels optimistic. Ed, her editor, has scheduled a meeting for the next day, but she feels that with the help of Emmie, Sanjay, and Martha, her columns have been causing a stir, and she hopes Ed intends to celebrate her 30th anniversary with the magazine. She encourages Sanjay to get over Emmie, and he replies that Iona is “just a frustrated old woman with nothing better to do than interfere in other people’s lives” (152). These words deeply hurt Iona. At the Surbiton station, she sees an irate woman on the platform. Piers says it is his wife, Candida.

Candida confronts Piers, having learned he lost his job three months ago. He confesses that he was made redundant. He’s been day trading with his severance package and has lost three-quarters of it.