I was traveling for twenty years in this country. I was staying in thousands of homes, and I saw it continuously: when the husband is not in the house, the wife seems to be very cheerful, very happy.

Michelle had always wanted to be a mother, three years had passed since their wedding and now her husband - with his all-consuming memoir just finished - would be gone several days a week.

My husband, Joel Hetman, was away from home; the servants slept in another part of the house.