‘Let’s get you inside, show you your room and introduce you to the others. I think the – uh – formalities are taking place tomorrow? I’m not sure exactly what you’ve arranged with the police, and things keep changing anyway on account of the weather. But if you’d like to see where your brother – Will – was found, or any other part of the resort, anything that helps you generally, well, you know, say the word and I’m sure it can be arranged.’

I nod. ‘Thank you.’ Almost the worst part of all this is everyone else’s embarrassment. Why can’t anyone treat me normally? It all happened a long time ago. We’ve all moved on.

Matt opens a heavy door into a beautiful open-plan living/dining room with a huge window, stone walls, blond wood, and fur throws everywhere.

Matt clears his throat. ‘Hello, everyone. This is Adam, our new guest – I believe Millie will have told you …’

Everyone looks up. ‘Let me in introduce you to everyone,’ Matt continues, ‘Simon …’

A portly man with a flushed face and comb-over gets up out of a leather armchair and comes over and shakes my hand. ‘Good to meet you. Sorry for your loss.’

I smile tightly. ‘Thank you.’

‘This is my wife, Cass,’ he adds, indicating a very young, awkward-looking woman sitting with a similar-aged woman on a sheepskin rug half-heartedly dangling a plastic toy above a baby who is intermittently swiping at it, ‘our son Inigo and nanny Sarah.’

One of the women gives me a sympathetic smile and raises her hand in greeting. The other doesn’t look at me. I’ve already forgotten which woman is the wife and which the nanny, but I don’t imagine it matters.

Another man, younger and fitter-looking than Simon, stands up from the sofa. ‘Welcome. I’m Hugo. Good to meet you. Sorry it’s in such circumstances.’

I nod. ‘Thank you. And thank you all for allowing me to crash your chalet. I’m not sure what I’d have done otherwise.’

A door opens and a young, pretty girl wearing a long-sleeved polo shirt with the same logo as Matt’s jacket comes in with a tray of champagne glasses and places them on the table.

‘And this is Millie, who will be looking after you during your stay,’ Matt adds.

She straightens up. ‘Hello. I’m so sorry for your loss. And I’m sorry we weren’t able to get Chalet Alpaca ready for you in time. But we hope you’ll be very comfortable here. Please don’t hesitate to ask if there’s anything we can do to make your stay … well, just don’t hesitate.’