“You have my word on it,” he promised, “but I’ll lay money they’ll find him not guilty once they’ve heard what she has to say.”

“And that,” Claudia said to Dan as Richie returned to his own seat between Jasmine and Abby, “is what’s making me more nervous than anything, the way everyone seems so certain that she, all on her own, is going to swing things in Archie’s favor. The pressure on Mum is enormous. She won’t talk about it, she says there’s no point if I try to bring it up, but I know she’s worried and I think quite a big part of her is actually regretting saying she’ll do this.”

“She can always pull out,” Dan told her seriously. “It’s still possible for the verdict to go in his favor even if she doesn’t take the stand.”

“That’s what I’ve told her. I’ve even tried warning her that the prosecution could accuse her of trying to manipulate the jury with sight of her injuries.”

“Believe me, no sane lawyer would do that to a victim who is brave enough to stand up for her attacker when she’s clearly scarred for life. I think you need to try and stop worrying, trust her to know what she’s doing, but make sure she’s aware that if she does want to change her mind no one, I mean no one, will think worse of her for it.” His eyes seemed to enlarge behind his glasses as he added, “I only wish the real guilty parties were facing trial, but we haven’t given up hope of that yet.”

Her brow was still furrowed.

Pressing a kiss to her head he murmured, “Would it be possible to put this aside now and be just us?”

With a smile as she returned to the present she said, “Of course,” and for once it wasn’t hard to let go of the tension inside her, not when she had so much to look forward to later.

THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON Marcy returned to the coach house from Henry’s, and as her eyes met Claudia’s across the kitchen it was clear that they were both finding it hard to stop smiling.

“So, it went well for you, with Dan?” Marcy asked casually as she dropped her overnight bag and shrugged off her coat.

“It did, thank you. And from the look of you I’m guessing it went well for you, with Henry?”

Marcy laughed. “I’m glad Jasmine’s not around to hear us, I can just imagine what she might say, or maybe I’d rather not,” and going to fill the kettle she began making tea.

“So, are you up for discussing Maria’s offer?” Claudia asked, as they took their mugs through to the sitting room.