Soon her husband’s ferry came into view. Five minutes and the passengers would be disembarking. She could be there in two.

Taking a deep breath, Maria walked slowly down the stairs. Usually the start of the summer holidays was her favourite time of year. The promise of long, lazy days ahead with the children, eating outdoors when David finished working.

It had crossed her mind there wouldn’t be many more summers like this, her concerns centred on the fact that the last of her children were growing up. She could already sense Stella tugging away from her a little more than in previous years. She’d have thought that with two older children she’d be used to it, but it was her youngest she yearned to keep closest.

In the garden Maria wandered to the trees that lined the boundary between the house and the jetty. As she drew near, Bonnie appeared on one side of them, her head hung low, her shoulders tense. ‘Do you want to come and see the newcomers with me?’ Maria asked. ‘I’d like to have you with me.’

Bonnie looked up at her, her face blank. ‘Why would I want to do that?’

‘There’s a girl coming, only a couple of years older than you,’ Maria said. ‘Iona. She’s nineteen, I think. Anyway, she’d probably be grateful to know someone her own age and—’

‘I’m not five,’ Bonnie snorted. ‘I can make my own friends.’

‘I know you’re not,’ Maria said patiently as she watched her daughter storm off.

Bonnie shook her head and carried on walking towards the house. She hated the way her mother did this. Always trying to tell her how to live her life. Both her parents had been doing it as long as she could remember, though her mum was undoubtedly worse. It had started with the Stay and Play sessions they used to drag her to, with the woman who’d watch her play with the stupid toys they laid out while she talked at Bonnie.

Afterwards Bonnie would have to leave the room and sit with someone else while they discussed her. They always let Danny stay, perched on her mum’s lap, sucking on that dummy that was always in his mouth.

Bonnie knew they must have been looking for something in her, but she didn’t know what. She only knew that the toys were a distraction to get her to open up.