‘It’s okay, Lizzie. I know what you meant,’ says Tess. ‘I must say, I’d rather you talked to the police first – we really do need to go through the official channels – but if you need the dangling carrot of the course to make you do what you need to do, then I’m happy to support you. I’ll go and dig out the bus timetable.’

Maud stays close to Lizzie’s heels for the rest of the day. Lizzie tells the dog she’s fine, but Maud doesn’t believe her, and follows her from room to room until Lizzie gives in, sits down on the sofa and lets Maud jump onto her lap.

‘I’m going out, and you can’t come with me,’ Lizzie tells Maud later, but Maud doesn’t budge. Lizzie sighs and says, ‘I’ll be back soon. Now move.’ But Maud has one of her heads on and Lizzie is forced to open the door with Maud still against it. The terrier rolls along the welcome mat dramatically. Lizzie sighs again and says, ‘Maud, stop it. I need to go.’

Lizzie doesn’t take the bus towards the college. She plans to, but instead finds herself boarding a bus that heads in the opposite direction.

Luke opens the door wearing jogging bottoms and his school shirt. She’s caught him off-guard. He’s all rumpled and confused. ‘Lizzie. What are you doing here? Sorry, I mean, come in … Wow, I wasn’t expecting you.’

She’d been thinking about what it felt like to be in his arms. The sanctuary of them. How oddly safe he made her feel. The urge to be held again had been overwhelming.

He pulls the door open wide and she walks into the hall, where two dogs sit looking at her. A big yellow one with a pink nose, who wags his tail, and Wolfie, who barks. ‘Stop it, Wolfie. Why can’t you be friendly, like Fitz?’ Luke turns to Lizzie and says, ‘Fitz is my cousin’s dog. He’s here for the weekend.’

‘Oh.’ The yellow dog thumps its tail in response and rolls over for a tummy rub.

Luke drags a reluctant Fitz away from Lizzie’s leg and puts him and a barking Wolfie in the living room, then shuts the door. ‘Where’s Lenny? Would you like a drink?’

‘Wine? Lenny’s with Tess. She runs the shelter.’ Lizzie hadn’t planned what she was going to say, and it comes out in a rush.

‘Right.’ Luke swallows. ‘Cool. I mean, it’s not cool …’ Lizzie had told him about the shelter the night he saw her arms, but she hadn’t given many details.

Lizzie watches Luke’s Adam’s apple bob and sees she’s made a mistake. ‘I shouldn’t have come.’ She thinks of Maud, the way she’d tried to warn her by blocking the door.