‘It’s not amusing, Billy.’

‘No.’ He dropped his head. ‘Sorry, I know. I’m just nervous, that’s all. It’s been a very long time since I had a real conversation. It’s been too long since I saw my little girl.’

‘Save the pity-talk – I’m not the one who’s likely to give you any sympathy.’

‘Right. Sure,’ he said, his eyes darkening. ‘Okay, then. In answer to your first question, I loved Rosie with all my being. But we did marry very young. Of course, that’s not to say I wouldn’t have married her even if she hadn’t been pregnant with you, but I’m sure we would’ve waited until we had more money. But we managed. We had help to get the bungalow in the form of an inheritance from my father, and we thought it was perfect. However, right from the start we didn’t fit in. We were never “one of them”. They were a funny bunch, the villagers of Mapledon, and despite trying so hard to be liked, we were never accepted. And before long, Rosie fell ill. At first, we thought it was exhaustion – looking after a young child, sleepless nights and all. But as time went on, she developed other symptoms and she was finally diagnosed as having cervical cancer. It was too late by then. No treatment would’ve worked: it would’ve prolonged her life, but she was terminal, so she declined the treatment. I didn’t kill your mother, Eliza. Cancer did.’ He swiped a tear from his cheek. Lizzie averted her eyes. She didn’t want to see his emotions. She didn’t handle her own well; she wanted no responsibility for his.

‘Then you were left with me,’ Lizzie said.

‘Yes, and that’s when I lost all control.’

‘So, you gave up on me? Neglected, and even hurt me?’ Hot anger flared.

‘No, Eliza. I never hurt you, not on purpose. You hurt me, though. You used to lash out – punch, kick and bite me. You wanted to punish me, I think. You didn’t understand why your mum had left you, and I was swamped with grief, unable to understand enough myself. Unable to take proper, good care of you. I lost all interest in work – it’d been difficult enough to find decent carpentry jobs around the village to keep the money flowing, even before Rosie got bad, but then I stayed home to be with her. After she died … well … I guess I gave up even looking. I’m surprised you weren’t taken from me sooner really, and at one low point, I actually thought perhaps it was for the best – you’d seemed so troubled and I didn’t know how to handle that, maybe better people would. But if someone had given me a chance, supported me, helped, then things might have been different. If I knew then what I do now … But no.’

His tone became harsher, his voice louder. ‘Everyone was too keen to point the finger, blame me for anything and everything that went wrong in the village. They were always baying for my blood, Eliza. They did everything to drive me out. I didn’t fit, nor did you. Two weirdos in their perfect Stepford wives bloody village.’ Spit flew in thin strands from Billy’s mouth. Rage bursting from him like flames. ‘I didn’t take Jonie Hayes. I didn’t kill her. So how could I ever confess to where her body was?’