‘You must notice the way Bonnie follows me around,’ Iona went on, her tongue flicking out as it licked the icing on her cake, her expression suddenly serious. ‘She’s clinging to me. I’m the only friend she has. I think she’d like it if we were sisters, don’t you?’

‘Iona, stop.’ Maria turned abruptly and halted her in her tracks. ‘Why are you here?’

‘You asked me to walk with you.’

‘Just tell me the truth,’ Maria snapped. ‘What are you doing on our island?’

‘Your island?’

‘Please be honest. Why did you come to Evergreen?’

‘The funny thing about honesty,’ Iona started, ‘is that often the people who ask for it aren’t being so themselves. Do you really want the truth, Maria?’ she asked. ‘Are you sure that’s what you want?’

Maria’s heart thumped furiously. Of course she did. Of course. ‘Yes,’ she said quietly.

‘Then why don’t you go first. Tell me what you’re doing here. What made you come to this island in the first place? And be honest, Maria.’

Maria stared at the girl. She looked so much older than nineteen now, so much wiser and more knowing. But what could Maria say to her? Because she knew that maybe Iona already knew the truth.

‘Stay away from my family,’ Maria said, her words shaking. She shoved her hands deeper into her pockets and turned from Iona, picking up her steps again, walking as fast as she could. She wanted to get away. The girl frightened her but she also knew there was nowhere she could go. Not on this island. This place was supposed to make her feel safe, but there was nowhere she could hide.

‘Wrong answer,’ Iona called out shrilly from behind her.

It would only be another four days before hiding wasn’t an option anyway. Before running became the only solution. What Maria hadn’t known in that moment, as she’d stumbled into her kitchen, hands catching the sink, was that she was about to make everything worse for them.

Her pulse raced as she grabbed an upturned glass from the drainer and filled it with cold water, her eyes only then darting to the corner of the room where Stella was watching her.

‘Hey, darling.’ Maria put the glass down and spun round. She was breathless but Stella didn’t seem to notice, absent-mindedly chewing on a chunk of her hair. Maria reached out and prised it away.

‘I need to talk to you, Mum.’ Stella was wavering on the edge of tears.

‘What is it?’ Maria gasped. God, what was it? She really didn’t think she could take any more.

‘It’s about Jill.’

Maria’s heart did a merry dance, but she kept her composure as she nodded and asked Stella what was bothering her.

‘She made me promise.’ A single tear escaped, rolling down Stella’s cheek. Maria could see how much this was troubling her.