Turning away, Claudia said, “You know I felt nervous after reading that letter from Marcus. It’s taken me a while to get over it.” She still feared they were about to be found, although in a less panicked way now, and the feeling she sometimes had that they were being watched she usually managed to put down to paranoia. She had to, or she’d never have been able to live her life. “Anyway,” she continued, “we’ve hardly seen Dan since the New Year, we’ve all been so busy. And Andee tells me they’ve taken on so many restorative justice cases now that they’re starting to become desperate for more practitioners.”

“Which is why it’ll be a lovely break for everyone to come and celebrate with us tonight,” Marcy responded. “What time do we have to pick up the food from M&S?”

“Jasmine and Abby are collecting it, and I think Richie, Tom’s son, is giving them a hand. We just have to dig through all the packing boxes to find glasses, crockery, cutlery, kitchen roll or napkins.”

“Well, let’s feel thankful the snow came to nothing, or we’d all have had difficulty getting there. What on earth is this lorry doing in front? Is he going to turn? Yes, thank goodness he is,” and once the road ahead was clear Marcy put her foot down to speed up over the hill onto Westleigh Heights. Most of the grand homes they passed were securely hidden behind high walls or tall iron gates, those to the right enjoying uninterrupted vistas of the estuary and those to the left backing onto the undulating drama of the moor.

By now Claudia was in such a state of anticipation that she had to pinch herself to make sure she drank in every moment of their arrival, as they finally turned in through the old gates that still lolled drunkenly into the bushes. Progress along the short drive was bumpy and lit only by their headlights, although that would change once the outside power had been connected.

Then there it was, their exquisite coach house, looking as inviting and pleased with itself as if it had never been neglected for a day. It was a jewel of Georgian architecture, and Claudia knew they were more than lucky to be able to call it home.