‘Nonsense,’ Lorna told her. ‘Aidan would want us to help his girlfriend, wouldn’t he? Seems daft to leave the place empty anyway. Now then: there’s a new supermarket ten minutes out of the village on the other side, so you can stock up with bits and pieces, and you’re welcome to use all the facilities . . . Make yourself at home, okay? Relax.’

It was an enormous kindness, of course, but being called ‘Aidan’s girlfriend’ did slightly give Olivia the heebie-jeebies. For the first time since crossing the threshold of the cottage she hesitated, feeling that it was wrong to take advantage of the other woman’s generosity. Wondering if Aidan might not rather have had her shooed off the premises, had he been capable of expressing an opinion on the matter.

She tried not to think about that as she went out to buy a few provisions and then, once back in the cottage, ran herself a hot, deep bath full of bubbles. Closing her eyes, she listened to the cry of a seagull through the open window, and the faint comings and goings of other holidaymakers, but it was no good. She couldn’t stop thinking about Aidan. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said into the quiet steamy air after a while. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Shutting her eyes, she slid beneath the surface of the trembling water for a moment, feeling tired, so desperately tired. It had been a strange few days. Already Bristol and her home there seemed to have retreated far into the back of her head, while memories of her life here had crowded in, taking up the space. Aidan’s face, bloodied and battered, floated into her mind, his eyes the blue of an autumn sky even in death, his expression one of disbelief.

She surged up through the bath-water, cringing and trying to shake the image from her head. Oh God, she thought. What was she doing? What was she doing here?

Chapter Thirteen

‘So, what’s the dirt then?’ said the face on Izzie’s phone screen, waggling a suggestive eyebrow.

It was the following morning and Izzie was up in her room, FaceTiming her friend Lily. Having listened to lurid details of Lily’s antics with her boyfriend Jordan for some time, the conversation had recently turned to Izzie, and her low rating on the Summer of Yes leaderboard. ‘Anything happening with the Sexy Older Man?’ Lily asked before Izzie could reply.

Ugh, not this again. ‘Don’t call him that!’ Izzie spluttered. ‘You make him sound like a pensioner. And nothing’s happening with him, funnily enough. Seeing as he’s my mum’s boyfriend and all. Jesus!’

Lily rolled on some dark-brown lipstick and pouted glossily at the screen. ‘Go on. What happened to that bikini selfie anyway? Or even a kiss?’ She peered at herself critically. ‘What do you think of this colour, by the way?’