‘You can pick up your keys from reception, Rosamund,’ Amelia said. Turning, she pointed to Primrose Cottage at the far end of the site, and backing onto the forest. ‘And that’s where you’ll be staying.’

‘Beautiful,’ Rosamund said. ‘I can’t wait to spend time with you all. Is Jackson here?’ She glanced about her.

‘Taking a shower,’ Caroline said. ‘We’re all going down to the beach later for a picnic. I know it’s November, but the sun’s out. I thought it might be nice.’

‘Sounds perfect.’ Rosamund looked at Neil and Elise. ‘Right, let’s get our keys, shall we?’

Chapter 19

A Year Ago

Amelia

‘Finally,’ Amelia whispered, her eyes scanning William’s brief message that had just appeared on her phone screen.

All good here! Cat fine! See you when you get back!

‘You OK, love?’ her dad said, as she shoved her phone into her pocket.

‘Fine,’ she said, but felt far from it.

She was snuggled into her thick Aran sweater and jeans. Despite the sun beaming down from a pastel-blue sky onto the golden sand, it was nowhere near warm enough to be sitting on a deserted stretch of beach in the Scottish Highlands.

Rosamund had opened the hamper Ruth had made, and laid out a homemade quiche, bread rolls filled with ham and cheese, and two flasks of tea, onto a tartan blanket, but so far nobody had eaten anything. It all felt too forced.

Amelia had dropped down onto the sand a few feet away from everyone else ten minutes ago, and was now attempting to build a castle with a tablespoon. Her mum seemed happy, despite the chill in the air, sitting in her deckchair facing the sea, a blanket covering her knees. She was flanked by Jackson and Rosamund, and Amelia tried hard to give the impression she didn’t mind them hogging her mum, but the truth was she did, and it was clear Lark was bothered too. In fact, she’d drifted away from the gathering and was now down by the shoreline, her back to them as she kicked sand, seeming deep in thought.

Everyone but Thomas and Maddie were there. Thomas had cried off, saying he had a headache, and Amelia wondered if he was finding all of this harder than he was letting on.

‘I’m sure I just saw a bottlenose dolphin,’ her dad said suddenly excited, binoculars pinned to his eyes. Neil, who sat beside him reading from his phone, glanced up, squinted towards the sea, and then looked back at his screen.

Elise was leaning against the rocks a short distance away from the group, reading from her Kindle. She was wearing a pink pom-pom hat pulled low, with her pink padded jacket, jeans, and spotted wellingtons.

Lark turned towards them and raised her hand. ‘I’m going for a walk, Mum,’ she called. She seemed to be struggling more than ever since Rosamund and her family arrived.