‘I—’ He begins to speak but interrupts himself. He stares at the floor and at the rope, sending tears flowing down his face. ‘I didn’t want to have to do this,’ says Eirik.

‘Do what, honey?’

‘Get rid of you.’

73

Leah, two days before

He was the only one, out of all of the men, she’d brought to this cabin. The only one she’d wanted to. Inviting him here was the same as inviting him into the inner chambers of her heart, she knew that. She hadn’t seen it coming, and what started as a way of getting closer to Kristina, or closer to being Kristina, perhaps, had turned into something else entirely. It had brought so much joy but also remorse and heartache.

But now, seeing him at the door, face cast in shadows and hair whipped up on the fierce wind chasing down the hillsides to the clearing, she feels none of the feelings that caught her by surprise. She feels fear. She should have known that he might have come for her here – he’s the only one that could. Except…

We need to talk, he says.

No, she says.

You always say no.

There’s nothing more to talk about.

He pushes past her into the tiny vestibule and in the faint glow from the oil lamps in the next room.

I’m sorry for Friday.

Sorry?

Yes.

You screamed at me. You threatened me to abort our baby.

Leah… I’m sorry.

Fuck you. You’ll be pleased to know that there’s no baby anymore. You’ll have it your way.

Her face is deathly pale and her hair is stuck to her skull in greasy strings.

What… what have you done? And what happened to your face?

What have I done? She screams the words, and they burst from her empty insides with such force he actually takes a step back. What have you done, you mean? Everyone is going to hear about this. I’ll make sure they all know about the promises you made, the way you said you love me, how you lied to your wife night after night, how you got me pregnant and then threatened me to get rid of the baby we made, how you said you’d ruin my life if I didn’t. No, wait, you said you’d hunt me down and fucking kill me like an animal if I didn’t. Well, I bet you’re pleased now. But let me be very clear with you – you’re going down, you fucking asshole!

Wait, wait, baby, listen to me, I came here because I was so worried about you. I wanted us to talk more, better, properly, I can’t live with what I said to you the last time I saw you. I was confused and upset and what happened should never have happened, Leah please listen to me, please, please.