‘What am I expected to do with these? They’re basically disgusting!’ Back to her insouciant teenage self, Lexi looked at them in abject horror. ‘I wouldn’t be seen dead in them. Who on earth thinks I’ll look good in purple and green? Just shoot me now.’

‘You’ll wear them,’ Jenna said calmly, and Lexi shuddered.

‘How to kill off your love-life. If I’d known there was going to be this much fuss I would have let Matt drown.’ She grabbed a baseball cap and pulled it onto her head, tipping the brim down. ‘If this is how it feels to be a celebrity, I don’t want any of it. Two people took photos of me yesterday, and I’ve got a spot on my chin!’

Jenna smiled at the normality of it. It helped. There was an ache and an emptiness inside her, far greater than she’d felt after Clive had left. One pain had been replaced by another. ‘Ryan rang.’ She kept her voice casual. ‘He thought you’d want to know that Matt’s surgery went well and he’s definitely not in any danger. The surgeons said that if he’d lost any more blood he might have died, so you really are the hero of the hour.’

‘It wasn’t me, it was Ryan.’ Obviously deciding that being a heroine had its drawbacks, Lexi stuffed her iPod into her pocket and strolled towards the door. ‘I’m meeting Fraser on the beach. At least that way I might be able to walk five centimetres. And, no, I’m not wearing those socks.’

‘You can wear them in the winter.’

‘Any chance of us moving back to London before the weather is cold enough for socks?’ But, despite the sarcasm, there was humour in her eyes and Lexi gave Jenna a swift hug and a kiss. ‘What are you doing today?’

‘Nothing much. Just pottering. I might go for a walk.’ To the lighthouse, to tell Ryan that their relationship had to end.

Jenna watched as Lexi picked up her phone and strolled out of the house, hips swaying to the music which was so loud that Jenna could hear it even without the benefit of the earphones.

Her daughter was safe, she thought. That was all that mattered. Safe and settled. And as for the rest—well, she’d cope with it.

* * *

Ryan was standing on the cliffs, staring out over the sea, when he heard the light crunch of footsteps on the path. Even without turning he knew it was her. And he knew what she’d come to say.

Bracing himself, he turned. ‘I didn’t think you’d be coming over today. I assumed you’d be resting—that’s why I rang instead of coming round.’