‘No,’ Claudia said firmly. ‘That’s too much to ask. I can’t. Write what you like and I’ll send her a note if that helps, but I can’t face her.’

‘We understand,’ Justin assured her before Leanne could make a counter-argument. ‘It’s too soon to think about that, and I’m sure Amelia’s family will respect your wishes.’

Leanne picked up her phone and closed the voice recorder. It was time to leave while she was ahead. ‘Thanks for your time, Claudia, and I’ll see you next week at the press conference. We’ll be leading with your story this weekend, so you can expect a lot of interest.’

‘I don’t want this distracting from the memorial service,’ Claudia said.

‘Nor do I,’ Leanne agreed, but she doubted either would get their way.

10

The Three Pheasants Hotel was a Georgian mansion house on the outskirts of Sedgefield surrounded by rolling hills and dense woodland. A popular venue for weddings, it had a decent-sized car park, but Leanne had to do two circuits through driving rain before she found a free parking space.

Swept into reception by a howling wind, she was hit by a cloud of warm, scented air wafting from the hotel’s exclusive spa, but relaxation was furthest from Leanne’s mind. She was directed to the largest conference suite where a podium had been erected in front of row upon row of chairs. The place was rammed with fellow journalists who wouldn’t have given Leanne more than a passing glance a month ago. They eyed her with envy now. As predicted, Claudia’s story had made the front page of the Courier on Saturday, and had gone on to make national headlines. Leanne wasn’t afraid to look smug.

She found Frankie two rows from the front. She had reserved the seat next to her, and Leanne picked up the press pack before sitting down. ‘You’re a lifesaver.’

‘I think you’ll find Claudia Rothwell is the lifesaver,’ Frankie replied. ‘I can’t wait to see the legend in person.’

Although Frankie’s description was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, a casual glance around the room suggested there was growing anticipation of Claudia’s arrival. ‘Has there been any sign of her yet?’

‘No, but I’ve spotted a few of her cohorts,’ Frankie said, leaning in and surreptitiously pointing to the front row. ‘The woman with the blonde bob is Bryony Sutherland, and next to her is Harriet Healey.’

Harriet was the treasurer to the Empress Memorial Fund and was sitting amongst several other notable names from Sedgefield’s elite. These were the same people who had apparently been too busy to give their time to Claudia’s cause before she hit the headlines. They were flocking to her now and when a ripple of applause travelled from the back of the room, they were the first to stand up and cheer her arrival.