‘I’ll see you in,’ she says, shutting the door and locking it with her electronic fob. ‘You were out cold back there. I want to check that you’re okay before I leave you.’

‘There’s no need, honestly, I’m fine.’

‘I’m sorry, Maggie, but I’m a doctor,’ she says as we walk up the path. ‘It’s in my nature.’

I look at her. There is something in her face that draws me to her. She has kind eyes. I decide to trust her.

She looks up at the door then turns to me.

‘Do we have to knock?’

‘No, I’ve got a key,’ I say, taking the bulky set from my pocket.

I unlock the door and we step into the dark hallway. Thankfully the reception desk is unattended. Mr and Mrs Hutchinson will be having their tea.

‘It’s this way.’

I gesture ahead, and Julia follows me down the narrow corridor to Room 2.

I open the door and step inside.

‘Come in,’ I say, turning to Julia.

She is standing in the doorway, a strange expression on her face.

‘I’ll make some tea,’ I say, shuffling across to the kitchenette.

‘No,’ says Julia. ‘You sit down. I’ll do it.’

She has a doctor’s voice, calm yet authoritative, and I do as she says. I watch as she boils the kettle and prepares the tea, grimacing at the pots of UHT milk.

‘Here you go,’ she says, coming over to where I am sitting on the wicker chair by the window and handing me a mug.

‘Thank you,’ I say, taking it and wrapping my hands round its warmth.

She sits down in the chair opposite me, watching as I sip my tea.

‘Maggie, I want to apologize,’ she says. ‘For the way I spoke to you at the house. I had no idea that you’d been in an accident. I realize something like that can result in erratic behaviour and … well, if I’d known I’d have been more understanding.’

I put my mug down on the small coffee table between us then lean forward in my chair.

‘I’m really sorry I walked in like that,’ I say, clasping my hands together so tightly my knuckles go white. ‘It was wrong of me. But I came to the house today for a reason.’

‘Oh?’ she says. ‘What was the reason?’

I look down at my fingers, the raw flaky skin where my nails used to be.

‘Maggie?’

‘I wanted to remember,’ I say, my eyes filling with tears.

And then it all comes out. Waking up to find that Elspeth is dead. That my husband is missing. That the house she is now living in used to be ours. The whole sorry tale. When I finish I look up at Julia and see that the colour has drained from her face.