One Day

The day before summer break, Emma lies on her back in Philip Godalming’s office, her skirt rucked up around her waist. They’ve been sleeping together for the past nine months, but their encounters leave her feeling uneasy. Emma reflects on how she ended up as “someone’s mistress,” finding the word “repulsive, servile” (167). The affair began after rejecting Ian's marriage proposal and ending their relationship. However, the initial excitement of the affair soon faded, and Emma now yearns for a real relationship. She expresses her concerns to Philip, and he offers to tell his wife over the summer. They then part ways, wishing each other a pleasant summer holiday.

Returning to her apartment in Walthamstow, Emma finds Ian going through a drawer, claiming to be looking for his passport. Emma, however, knows he’s behaving this way to express his unhappiness. Ian asks her if she was with someone, and Emma, annoyed, starts drinking vodka. Eventually, she admits to the affair with Mr. Godalming. Ian suggests she’s involved with Dexter instead. Emma tells him she hasn’t seen Dexter in months, but Ian, having read her old notebooks, knows about her past feelings for him. Emma tells Ian she was never truly happy with him—she felt trapped in the relationship.