For several weeks, Georgia has been different. Tess has found her in various rooms in the house, sitting quietly, apparently doing very little. The newly framed photograph of Finlay seems to move around with her, as though Georgia is trying to decide where to display it. Tess has asked her a number of times if she is alright, or if there is anything she needs help with, and has had little by way of a response. Normally Georgia would be irritated by this sort of question, but she is uncharacteristically placid about it all. Eventually, one evening after dinner, Tess takes the bull by the horns.

‘I’m worried about you.’

‘Worried?’

‘I know that letter was a shock and I’m wondering if you need to talk to someone about it.’

‘I don’t think I want to do that.’

Tess tries again. ‘Counselling might help, if there’s something troubling you.’

‘I’m not troubled. I feel quite peaceful, actually.’ Georgia smiles. ‘A lot of questions I’ve been asking myself for years have been answered.’

‘Do you not wonder why you were never told about him? I would be pretty cross about that if it was me.’

Georgia leans forward and rests on her elbows. ‘I confess that, yes, there have been a few days where I was pretty annoyed about it. But what’s the point? Annie and Keith aren’t here to ask. All I can do is assume they did it for my benefit. Maybe they thought those mythical Canadian relatives I was told about might turn up on the doorstep and try to steal me away from them? I’ll never know.’ She sat back in her chair. ‘I could spend weeks, years, trying to square that particular circle, and at best, it would be an educated guess.’

Tess waits to see if there is anything else, but that seems to be it. Eventually, she breaks the silence. ‘Georgia, can you tell me what you’re doing with his photograph? I can help you hang it up if you like.’

‘I haven’t decided where to put it.’

‘Right. It’s just that I found it on the mantelpiece in my room today. I got quite a fright.’