‘You wanted to protect her,’ Abi said soothingly, and Val seemed to relent a little.

‘I struggled with it, of course. We both did. And when she filled out the form for this exchange, I worried about her going away from us; all the fear we felt over Anouk came flooding back.’

‘The phone call you made – on the night before Corinne came,’ Abi reminded her. ‘That was because of Anouk, wasn’t it? Because you were scared.’

Val nodded, wiping quickly at the tears that had sprung in her eyes.

‘But we have been so lucky that Corinne found you. That she found your family. It made all the difference to her. She has been happier since her stay with you.’

She reached out and took hold of Abi’s hand, smiling bravely as she squeezed it.

‘Corinne is a good girl, just a little lost,’ Valentina said. ‘It makes me wonder what I was worried about. After all,’ and her glittering eyes darted around the table at all three of them, ‘what could possibly go wrong?’

21

The pain was constant and intense, a sharp burning through the layers of her skin. It reminded Beth of visiting the dentist – the hum of the machinery, the same inner clenching as if holding her breath the whole time. She was crouched over the side of the sofa, hugging the armrest against her chest while Bruno perched beside her, pensive and attentive in his work. She tried to focus on the weave of the rug on the floor, the smell coming off the couch – something vinegary and stale, like old chips – while the top of her spine braced against the vibrations.

‘Are you okay?’ Corinne asked, bringing something of the freshness of outdoors with her as she knelt on the floor in front of Beth.

‘Sure.’

‘Not too sore?’

‘It’s fine.’

The words came out small and remote. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Corinne, still stunned by the sudden savagery of the pinching. She felt Corinne’s eyes flickering over her bent head, instinctively catching the tiny flame of hurt.

‘I had to do it,’ she explained, and Beth felt the strain of her optimism. ‘I only want to help you. Would you have gone through with it if I had not?’

Beth shrugged, then felt the sharp tap of Bruno’s finger on her shoulder, instructing her to keep still.

‘You need me to push you, Beth, or else you will never change. You will always be the sad, frightened little girl.’

She waited, but Beth didn’t answer. After a moment, Corinne gave a little huff of impatience.

‘Fine. Believe what you want,’ she said, and moved away.