‘Fran, please . . . you’re being a little bit unreasonable, don’t you think?’ Dominic’s voice is low, as if he doesn’t want to be overheard.

‘Unreasonable?’ Fran’s voice is considerably louder, ‘you’re talking about going back to work – full-time – when Laurel isn’t home. How can you even think about it?’ Her voice breaks on the last word, and I hold my breath, waiting to hear Dominic’s response.

‘The hospital needs me, Fran. They’ve covered my list for two weeks, but they can’t cover it any longer. People have had their operations put off already – and for some of them this is life-saving stuff. I have to go back. But I’ve told them that if anything – any tiny little thing – comes to light about Laurel, I’m coming straight home.’

‘Oh, Dominic,’ Fran gives a soft laugh, full of bitterness, ‘we both know that isn’t true. Maybe if you’d been there that night, maybe if you’d kept your promise to Laurel, instead of putting the hospital first, then she would be here tonight.’ He still hasn’t told her he wasn’t at the hospital. I bite back the gasp that springs to my lips. There is a thick, heavy silence from downstairs before Dominic speaks again.

‘Is this how it will be now? Even if . . . when . . . she comes home? You’ll blame me, forever?’ I hear the jangle of keys as he scoops them up. ‘You’ve always been happy to spend the money, Fran. And you haven’t exactly been there for her yourself – always at that bloody theatre, rehearsing lines for auditions that you never win. How many school plays, parents’ evenings, fêtes, have you missed because you just had to be in London, so Anna had to take her? We’ve both made mistakes, Fran.’

I peer over the bannister to see him slide his keys into his pocket and pull open the front door.

‘I’m going out for a while,’ he says, not looking back at Fran.

‘That’s your answer to everything, isn’t it?’ Fran’s voice rises, and there is a screechy tone to it. ‘Just run off? Leave me here, on my own, to deal with everything. Well, go on then. Off you go. I only hope she’s worth it, whoever she is.’