When she turned to show Jackson and Rosamund, they’d taken off their shoes and socks and were paddling, laughing as they kicked water at each other, her blonde hair swishing in the sun’s rays. And although Amelia felt sure it was harmless, she was irritated by their frivolity, and couldn’t help recalling what Elise had said about Rosamund being a flirt.

That’s when she thought she saw it – a look between them – something almost tangible, as Rosamund pushed him over and he fell with a splash, soaking his jeans.

Amelia batted away her distrust when she glanced up at her mum who was laughing too as she watched on. I must have been mistaken, she told herself.

Chapter 20

A Year Ago

Ruth

It was gone 3 p.m. and most of her guests were still at the beach, and although she’d seen Maddie having a cigarette on the porch outside her cottage earlier, she and Thomas were now tucked inside.

Ruth grabbed a handful of clean towels and headed towards Rosamund’s cottage, and let herself in. She wanted to know more about her new visitors. The woman, Rosamund, she wasn’t that keen on – got tickets on herself that one – far too full of her own importance with her designer clothes, and swirling, curling hair. She was heavily made-up too, thick foundation like clay. And there was something else she’d observed when they’d collected their keys: Ruth really didn’t buy the woman’s fondness for her stepdaughter.

Now, the man – Neil – he seemed nice enough, in a dull, work-absorbed kind of way. He seemed to adore Rosamund, though Ruth suspected he adored the child more.

Once inside their cottage, Ruth climbed the stairs. From there she entered Elise’s room.

A white nightshirt with a dog on the front was folded neatly on the girl’s pillow, and a book lay open on the bedside cabinet next to a notepad and pen. Ruth picked up the pad, and perched on the edge of the bed, her hand absentmindedly stroking a fluffy toy dog. The pages in Elise’s book were full of neatly written maths equations, followed by several pages of writing in French. Elise was clearly studious.

Ruth rose and placed two towels at the foot of the teenager’s bed. There’s nothing much to see here.

She made her way into Rosamund and Neil’s room, which smelt of aftershave, and hairspray. Ruth put two towels on the end of the bed, and looked at her watch. She shouldn’t hang about; they would be back soon.

She hurried downstairs once more, noticing a game of Monopoly set out on the coffee table. Silver counters: the dog and the top hat, piles of toy money laid out around the edges.