‘I thought I saw someone, so headed into the copse, but I must have been mistaken.’ He looks over at Julia. ‘Hey,’ he says.

Julia walks over to him, and touches his arm. ‘I’m so sorry about your mum.’

‘Yeah. Thanks.’ He looks down at the floor, his teeth pressing into his bottom lip. ‘When I find whoever did that to her, I’ll rip their head off.’

There’s a connection between them I hadn’t noticed a year ago – too full of finding Lark – and my heart, which seems to have forgotten for a moment the distress it’s in, sinks. Under all this mess and sadness, I like Finn. I like him a lot. I straighten up, knowing my thoughts are random, stupid. I would have to be some kind of idiot to think of romance when things are so awful.

‘Let’s get back,’ Finn says, and Dad and Rosamund follow him from the room.

‘Are you sure you won’t come with us?’ I ask Julia.

She shakes her head. ‘I’ll be fine here.’

‘Well make sure you lock all the doors, including the conservatory.’

‘I will. Thanks.’ She smiles. ‘You take care too, Amelia,’ she says.

I go to leave, but I have to ask her. ‘I saw a photo in your father’s lounge just now,’ I begin.

She folds her arms across her chest. ‘There are lots of photos in the lounge.’

‘There’s one of a pretty blonde teenage girl.’

‘What of it?’

‘I wondered who she is.’

‘My sister,’ she says, and I’m thrown. She just said she was lonely growing up.

‘Your sister? But I saw the same photo in Ruth’s cottage.’

‘Can we leave it, please,’ she says. ‘This is really none of your business, and hardly the time to be discussing family histories.’

‘No, you’re right, sorry.’ I leave the room, but I’m curious. My mum had remembered Ruth from when she came to Drummondale House as a teenager. I wish I’d asked her more questions. Discovered what went on when she camped here with my grandparents.

We congregate in the conservatory. ‘Where’s Julia?’ Finn says, eyes on the door we’ve just come through.

‘She’s not coming,’ I say.

‘But there’s a killer out there.’

‘She’s determined to stay, Finn. You won’t change her mind.’

‘Then I’ll stay too,’ he says. ‘I can’t leave her.’

Julia walks into the conservatory and glances at us gathered by the exit. She thumps down on the sofa, and the cat looks up at her, rises and stretches, releasing her claws as Julia tickles her ear. ‘I’ll be fine,’ she says.

‘I’m not leaving you, Julia.’ Finn sits down next to her. ‘Not after what happened to my mum.’

‘OK. Fine. Whatever you say,’ she agrees. ‘I’m guessing you’re not the killer,’ she adds with a small laugh.