For as long as she could remember, Zoe had wanted to be an actress. When she was little she’d dressed up and performed in front of an audience of stuffed animals. Milly had been roped in to play various parts alongside her, and when Zoe was old enough to join the local drama club, Milly had patiently provided a taxi service. When she’d been given the part of Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, they’d celebrated by going for ice cream sundaes at the café. For weeks Zoe had talked about nothing else, but suddenly she was avoiding the subject.

Milly knew something wasn’t right, but Zoe clearly wasn’t ready to talk about it.

Instead she’d asked Nicole about her life in Hollywood and what it was like to wear so many great clothes. Nicole had seemed relaxed, showing no sign of the fact that just a few moments earlier she’d announced a major life change. But she was an excellent actress, of course. She could portray one thing while feeling something entirely different. Milly, on the other hand, couldn’t act at all, and she’d sat tense and anxious, worrying about her daughter and also about her friend. Pregnant? It would change everything.

And now she understood why Nicole had used the word desperate when she’d called asking for sanctuary.

She’d never pictured Nicole in a long-term relationship or settled with children. She knew from previous conversations that it wasn’t something Nicole had pictured for herself either.

How did she feel about it? And did Justin know?

She had so many questions and so far hadn’t been able to ask any of them.

She’d hoped Zoe might decide to have an early night for once, but in the end it was Nicole who had gone to bed first, claiming exhaustion and jet lag, and she still hadn’t emerged from her room when Milly had made breakfast and driven Zoe to school.

On her way back to Forest Nest she’d called her mother to tell her that Nicole was staying and ask her if she had any idea what was wrong with Zoe, but the phone had gone to voice mail, which was puzzling because Milly couldn’t remember a time when her mother hadn’t answered her phone. She’d been Milly’s rock, and she felt a little ashamed for not making more of a fuss of how supportive and present her mother had been. She was going to remedy that next time she saw her.

Back home there was still no sign of Nicole, so Milly had left a note on the countertop.

I’ll be back at lunchtime, and we’ll talk. Call if you need me.

And then she’d gone to work, this time remembering to lock the door of the boathouse behind her.