whatever manner of relationship and of three years standing no less isobel had had with carman ; whether she had ever , even at the start perhaps , imagined she had loved him ; and taking into account whatever material benefits being with him bought her the nice flat , the sense of power that comes of being with a man who strides about controlling other peoples lives ... whatever all that meant to her , and whatever she was prepared to put up with from him when his combustible mixture bubbled over ; the moment that they hit a rock in the road , the second that her accurate and calculating mind decided the game was all up , she was now leaving him and all of it behind without a backward glance .