The Husband's Secret

Tess’s response to Felicity’s arrival is complicated. She instinctually smiles and is happy to see her, but she quickly remembers their situation and feels “the shock and betrayal” anew and fights “a desire to fly at Felicity, to knock her to the ground and scratch and pummel and bite” (361). Liam asks if Will is also here. Felicity says that he’ll be along a little later but that she herself will be leaving soon for England to do a coast-to-coast walk. She then plans to travel to Spain and America.

Tess and Felicity retire to Tess’s bedroom to talk. Felicity announces that the affair is over between her and Will. Rather, she says, it never got started. They sit on the rug together like they used to as children. Tess thinks “of the little fat girl who had sat in that exact position so many times throughout their childhood. […] Tess always knew there was a fairy princess trapped within there. Perhaps Tess had liked the fact that she was trapped” (303). She tells Felicity that she looks beautiful, but Felicity just says, “Don’t” (304). Felicity says that Will isn’t in love with her and that she doesn’t think he ever was—his feelings were just a crush.