Drew laughed. ‘She is, and you needn’t worry about me. I wouldn’t have come if I was worried. This is important. I’ll hang about and answer some emails until I know you don’t need me and if you do want to stay longer, I’ll go down to look at the SS Great Britain. You won’t be worrying about me messing around on a boat, will you?’

He’d made her smile again. The tension eased a fraction. ‘No, I won’t. Although I might never see you again.’

‘You will. Now off you go and good luck,’ he said.

Chloe closed the door of the car softly, as if anything more might somehow, impossibly, alert Hannah to her presence. Taking calming breaths, she crossed the street and made her way up the steps to the front door. There was a row of buttons with names next to them, but the top two flats had no names at all. That meant nothing, as maybe Hannah and Jordan hadn’t bothered to add theirs. Even so it would have been reassuring to confirm she’d got the right flat. Chloe went to buzz the top button, bracing herself for a conversation that could end any way: with shouting, crying or – if a miracle happened – being let in. She could be moments from being reunited with her daughter and finally meeting her little granddaughter.

The competing emotions of dread and anticipation were almost too much. She had to breathe deeply and force herself to calm down. She had to damp down all her excitement and pent-up feelings. She had to tread so carefully. This was about Hannah and Ruby.

On an impulse or because of some sixth sense, she decided to try the front door instead of ringing the buzzer. She gave it a little push and it moved. Someone had left it slightly open or unlocked.

She walked into the hallway. It must have been very grand once, with its high ceilings and staircase curving upwards, complete with ornate balustrade. The door to the ground floor flat had been freshly painted in a smart blue, but the one opposite was scuffed and mucky around the handle. There were leaflets for yoga classes and takeaways on the hall floor, and a child’s trike propped up under a shelf. Too old for Ruby, of course. The gift wrap rustled around the presents in her tote bag. Were the stacking cups and cuddly hippo OK? She’d asked around friends and decided on something for Ruby to play with now and something she could cuddle and keep. She hadn’t wanted to get anything too ostentatious and didn’t want to be seen to be trying too hard …