He opens his eyes. ‘Christ. Where are we – Narnia?’ He pushes his nose against the window, and takes a gulp of air. ‘When did we drive through a wardrobe?’

Maddie laughs.

‘We have seen better days,’ Thomas says, his voice suddenly low and level. He often quotes Shakespeare, since studying literature at university and getting a first-class master’s degree. ‘Now is the winter of our discontent.’

Chapter 4

Present Day

Ruth

‘Finn!’ I call, heading into the kitchen. ‘We need to prepare the vegetables. I want this meal to be perfect.’ I pick up a small knife that once belonged to my mother, and begin peeling potatoes. ‘Finn!’

‘For God’s sake, Mum, give me time to get down the bloody stairs.’ He appears, lifts a stripy apron from the back of the kitchen door, and slips it over his head.

I look up at him and smile. He’s looking so much better than he did a year ago. He runs each morning before I get up, and every evening too. I reach up, stroke his hair – he suits it shorter – a tingle of satisfaction running through my body. He’s finally got over his wife’s affair. It took some doing but I’ve got my son back.

Finn picks up a peeler, begins stripping carrots with the speed and skill of a professional chef. I’ve taught him well. My daughter couldn’t carry the baton, but Finn is the next best thing. ‘So the guests are here?’ he says.

I nod. ‘They are Lark’s family. They hope to remember something.’

He catches his finger on the blade, and winces. ‘About the disappearance?’

‘Mmm. I’m not sure what they hope to achieve.’

Finn shrugs, glances through the window. ‘And the snow is getting deeper out there. They can hardly search the woods.’ He crosses the kitchen and grabs a blue plaster from a medical box. ‘This is going to be awkward. I mean do we mention what happened?’

‘We let them take the lead.’ I cut a peeled potato in half, and drop it into a saucepan of water with a splash. ‘Oh, and I had a call from Rosamund Green this morning. She should be here by dinnertime with her daughter.’

‘Really?’ He glances towards the kitchen window once more, his eyes narrowing. Snow rests on the frame, like a picture on a Christmas card. ‘Do the Taylors know she’s going to be staying here too? I mean Rosamund wasn’t exactly supportive when Lark went missing.’

I shrug. ‘I have no idea.’ I feel a smile stretch across my face. ‘But I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.’

‘Well I for one am dreading it.’

I curl a tendril of hair behind my ear, noticing how grey I’m getting. ‘It will be fine, Finn,’ I say. ‘I’ll make sure everything is perfect.’

Chapter 5

A Year Ago

Amelia