Hannah stood up too, her face pounding with pain, her body aching.

Emilia pointed at Hannah. ‘You killed my husband.’

‘He killed himself.’

‘Because of you.’

Hannah wiped blood from her cheek. ‘Because of what he did. 224You threw him out of the house because of what he did. This is not on me.’

The baby was gurning now, her cry piercing. Emilia ignored her for a long moment, tears in her eyes. Eventually she turned.

‘It’s OK, honey, Mummy’s here.’

She turned back to Hannah, her fists at her sides as she began to walk towards the door.

‘You haven’t heard the last of this.’

She picked up the baby’s bottle and handed it to her, then pushed the kid down the driveway and into the street.

225

43

JENNY

She finished her coffee and decided. Got up and left the café, walked across the cobbles to the vennel and into the courtyard in the evening light. She pushed open the front door, headed to Liam’s studio and knocked. She wasn’t sure what she was going to say to him, but it was time to talk.

She heard a clatter, brushes on a table, and the door opened. Liam was handsome close up, green eyes and a strong jaw. He’d changed out of his work suit, which was hanging up on the curtain rail at the window, and he wore saggy jeans and a blue shirt. She could tell from the way it clung to his chest that he was toned underneath.

‘Can I help you?’ he said. He had a softer accent than Orla, a more open manner. There were flecks of grey through his black hair, and dark splotches of paint across his shirt. His hands were thin, long fingers, mottled with paint too.

‘Hi,’ Jenny said, throwing on a smile. ‘I’m planning to rent one of these studios and I wondered if I could take a quick look around.’

He frowned, unsure.

‘Mohammed said it was OK,’ she said. ‘He couldn’t find the key for my one yet, but said just to pop down and someone would let me take a peek.’

She waved her hand along the corridor.

‘I tried a few others, but no one else is in.’

He looked behind him at the canvas he was working on, propped on the easel.

‘Sure,’ he said, opening the door.226

‘Thanks.’

She walked past him into the middle of the room, the smell of paint and sweat coming to her.

‘Good light,’ she said, pointing at the window.

He narrowed his eyes and watched her closely, and she felt a flutter in her chest.

‘Have we met before?’ he said.

She turned, raised a hand to her temple. ‘I don’t think so.’

‘You definitely look familiar.’

She raised her eyebrows. ‘I get that a lot, must have a generic face.’

He bit on his lip, concentrating. ‘I certainly wouldn’t say that.’