‘Not a penny,’ Bryony said quickly, only to become flustered. She didn’t know which of her comrades she was meant to defend. ‘What I mean is, she did offer, of course she did, but Claudia couldn’t accept it.’

‘Good for her,’ Leanne said, glancing over at Claudia. Things had quietened down, and only a handful of reporters were left to press her for soundbites. She was sharing a joke, and even Frankie was laughing. Claudia Rothwell never failed to surprise, and Leanne had stopped fighting against her instincts. She was ready to admit she was starting to like her. ‘I don’t imagine the rebuff went down well with Phillipa.’

‘This whole ordeal has devastated her, but if I know Phillipa, she won’t stay down for long.’

‘She won’t be welcomed back, not in Sedgefield,’ Leanne warned, unable to repress the snarl.

Bryony tensed. ‘I know this isn’t what people want to hear, but …’ She pressed her lips together. ‘Never mind.’

‘If you have something to say, I’m happy to keep it off the record,’ Leanne promised, pulse rising.

Bryony tipped her head back just so she could look down her nose at Leanne. ‘Phillipa’s intentions were honourable throughout. She wanted only the best for this town, the whole town. Time will tell, but if you ask me, it’s Declan Gallagher who should be hung out to dry, or at least his corpse should. He was a Jack the lad who took risks in every aspect of his life. This is his fault.’

‘You knew him?’

‘Not intimately,’ Bryony said. She smiled. ‘Not like some.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘Declan drew a lot of interest. There were rumours,’ she said, arching an eyebrow. ‘My theory is he was too busy offering his personal services elsewhere to pay attention to what was happening on site.’

‘Do you know who he might have been seeing?’ Leanne asked, but, before Bryony could answer, she felt a hand on her back. Frankie had grown bored of the circus around Claudia.

‘I need to make a move,’ she told Leanne.

Leanne had glanced away for only a second, but when she turned back, Bryony was in retreat. She smiled at the two journalists politely. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’

‘Sorry, did I disturb something?’ Frankie asked, as Bryony walked away.

‘I’m not sure,’ Leanne mused. ‘But I think I’ll hang around a little longer.’

People had started to drift off, but a handful of dogged journalists continued to demand Claudia’s attention. Leanne was one of them, but she would have to wait her turn. Claudia was currently recording an interview for the local radio station.