A few minutes later Jasmine was gone, violin case in one hand, mobile phone in the other as she chatted to her new BFF, Abby. Her contacts list must be growing by the day, Marcy reflected, and it was certainly about time she was able to live a normal life, if this was indeed what they were living. It didn’t always feel that way, but of course it would take time, and she had to admit that her own contacts list had accumulated a few numbers too. Dentist, doctor, estate agent, landlord, and a few new friends she’d made at the community center. There was even quite an interesting man among them, Henry Matthews. He was a recently retired solicitor, about her age, whose cheery and somewhat dry demeanor seemed to incite goodwill in everyone. She hadn’t mentioned anything about him to Claudia; why would she when there was nothing to tell? He was just someone Marcy had got talking to the last time she was at the center.

Hearing the front door open and close, she experienced a sharp pang of nerves. She would have to explain what she’d done now, and she had no idea how her daughter was going to react.

As Claudia came in from the hall, looking too thin, but now tanned and almost as lovely as she used to be, she put down a shopping bag, a few brochures from an estate agent, and the driving license application form.

“Everything OK?” Marcy asked breezily.

Claudia turned to gaze at her, her eyes soft with affection, and yet shadowed by the fear that continued to haunt her. “You don’t have to look like that,” she said, “I already know.”

Marcy frowned. She couldn’t know. It wouldn’t be possible. “Know what?” she countered, feigning surprise.

Claudia smiled wryly. “That you’ve spoken to the police in London to tell them we’re alive and well.”

Marcy’s heart skipped a beat. “How . . . But . . .”

“I called too,” Claudia interrupted. “I spoke to a Detective Inspector Phillips and he told me he’d already heard from you.” Uneasy amusement showed in her eyes. “God knows what he must think of us, and I’ve no idea yet if we’re going to face charges for wasting police time, but apparently he’s coming to talk to us to verify that we are who we say we are.”

Moving past her astonishment, Marcy said dryly, “Well, good luck with that.”

Claudia had to smile. “So, what exactly did you tell him?” she asked, pulling out a chair to sit down.

Knowing there was no point trying to pretend she’d held anything back, Marcy sat down too and said, “I explained what a monster Marcus turned into after your marriage; about the abuse that’s been going on, and how much worse it became once the investigation into his business affairs started.”