Clover thought hard too. ‘It’s got to be damage limitation,’ she murmured finally. ‘Whatever she thinks Kit might be saying to us about her, it must be worse than what she’s flinging at him. At least in this, she’s a victim and, thanks to those photos, Kit can’t disprove it. His reputation is so tarnished, who will the world believe – her or him?’

Matty looked at her in surprise. ‘Are you saying you think Amy’s lying?’

‘I know she is. Kit’s many things, but he never hit her.’

‘Has he said that to you?’

‘Not in so many words.’

‘So then . . .?’

‘He’s being evasive,’ Clover sighed. ‘I can’t put a finger on it, but . . . it’s like he thinks this is the lesser of two evils. Or something.’

Matty gave a surprised, joyless laugh. ‘How is this a lesser evil? Amy has kneecapped him!’

‘I know. I don’t understand why he won’t come out fighting.’ Clover shrugged helplessly. ‘He’s just rolling over and letting her beat him.’

‘Which is not like him. We all know he’s a fighter.’

If Matty’s point had been to cast doubt on Clover’s defence, it didn’t appear to work. Matty watched her closely, seeing how Clover was studying her nails, biting her lip. ‘. . . I can’t believe I’m going to say this—’

Clover looked back at her. ‘Say what?’

‘If I didn’t know better, I’d say you looked like someone having doubts . . .’

‘Me?’ She watched as Matty stood up, as if to get a better look at her.

‘You do still want to nail him, don’t you?’ Matty asked, staring down with a hard look. ‘For what he did to Cory?’

Clover nodded, but her voice seemed lodged in her throat. ‘. . . Mm-hmm,’ she croaked. She cleared her throat. ‘Of course I do.’

‘So then why do you look like a bride at the altar, gathering her skirts and getting ready to run?’

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Clover stared out onto the lake, the breakfast plates still on the table before her. A V-shaped flock of geese was flying low over the surface, honking loudly. The pine trees on the far side had been freshly dusted with snow in the night so that all the world she could see was shades of white – the soft pale sky, the freezing water, the craggy mountains. It was beautiful, the playground of choice for people who could play anywhere on the planet, and right now, high up on those slopes, people were already playing, making first tracks down groomed pistes—

‘—Earth to Clo.’

She looked back to find Matty waving a hand in front of her.

‘The waiter’s asking if you want more coffee?’

Clover looked up to see the waiter standing expectantly with the pot. She gave a weak smile. ‘Sure.’ As though she was doing him a favour.

They watched as he poured. ‘Thanks.’