The view from this room would be beautiful all year round, but she guessed it would never be more beautiful than it was right now. She wanted to collapse onto that wide comfortable bed, wrap herself in the soft cream throw and just admire the colors through the window. She wanted to switch off the part of her brain that was worrying she was never going to persuade Izzy to trust her. A large rug covered the wide oak planks. There was an armchair by one of the windows, and next to it a small table stacked with books. At the end of the room was a fireplace, which gave the room a cozy feel even though it wasn’t lit.

If she could have chosen her perfect house it probably would have been this one, although she would have decorated it differently of course. It nestled comfortably among the neighboring buildings, sure of its place. Belonging.

She glanced at Izzy, and encountered a frozen look of despair in the few seconds before she masked it.

She should have gone to Julia’s and shared a bed with Kaitlin.

“It’s kind of you to do this for me,” she said, and Izzy’s smile was stiff and frozen.

“You’re welcome.”

Flora almost wished Izzy would yell and cry and tell she didn’t want her here. At least then she’d know what she was dealing with.

They’d arrived with Flora’s bag of damp belongings and Izzy had insisted on being the one to take Flora upstairs while Jack and Molly unloaded the pathetic dregs of Flora’s life from the car to the house. I’ll show Flora round and help her feel at home.

Flora had a feeling she was being tested. “It’s a beautiful room, Izzy.” It was beautiful, if a little clinical for her tastes. She preferred a room to feel lived in, and to be filled with individual touches. This room was like staying in a very upmarket hotel.

“My mother designed it. She was very stylish.”

“I can see that.” The implication was that Flora wasn’t stylish, but she didn’t blame Izzy for thinking that given the state of her apartment.

She imagined Becca standing in this room, her dancer’s body perfectly poised and balanced as she made decisions. We’ll keep the color scheme neutral and add touches of luxury with drapes and cushions.

She would have stood in front of that full-length mirror and flung open windows to let in blossom-scented air. She would have stroked her well-behaved dark hair over her shoulder and laughed a throaty laugh, utterly at home in these sumptuous surroundings and sure of Jack’s love.