I walked over to the kitchen window. The garden was empty. As I’d known it would be.

‘Rose. Darling. Put the knife down. There’s nobody in the garden.’

‘You . . . you . . .’ Her jaw was clenched and she was shaking with fear. Or was it rage. I couldn’t tell. ‘Where did he go? What did you tell him?’

‘We need to leave, Rose,’ I said instead. ‘Now Victor knows where you are . . .’

‘You know that’s not true,’ she hissed, her eyes flashing.

‘Please, Rose. You’re overreacting . . .’

It was the worst thing I could have said. She began to accuse me then, of lying, of manipulating her. ‘I should never have trusted you,’ she said. ‘Joel was right.’

I was so hurt by her words. ‘But we love each other.’

‘This was a mistake,’ she spat. ‘I have to put Lolly first. You need to leave. You and Sean . . .’

‘There’s nothing between me and Sean. What are you talking about?’

‘It’s over. I want you to leave. Now!’

‘I . . . What?’ I couldn’t believe what she was saying. ‘Are you ending things with us?’

‘I don’t trust you,’ she said sadly, but she put the knife down on the worktop with a shaky hand. ‘I’m sorry, Daphne. I love you but I don’t trust you. I think you lie. And,’ she wiped tears away from her eyes, ‘I can’t do this any more.’

This couldn’t be happening. I’d thought I’d found the happiness I’d always craved. The family I’d always wanted. To lose Rose was one thing, but to lose Lolly as well? I loved that little girl like she was my own.

‘I’m not letting you leave me,’ I said, coming over to her and pulling her into my arms. ‘We love each other.’

‘I think I need a clean break. Start again.’

‘You can’t,’ I wailed. She pulled away from me and swiped at her eyes. Her wavy hair fell over her shoulders. She was shorter than me by about two inches and she looked small and frail in that moment. I was desperate. I needed her to see that she was making the biggest mistake of her life. ‘We know too much about each other,’ I began.

‘Oh, don’t start that,’ she said. ‘That’s not going to wash with me any longer. You can’t prove that I killed Neil.’

Then she started accusing me of all sorts. Manipulation and lies about Sean. She had guessed, my clever, sweet Rose. I’d underestimated her.

I knew then that she’d never forgive me. That I’d lost her.

It was an accident.

Just like Susan Wallace’s death had been an accident.

She pushed past me. She went to walk away.

And all I knew was that I couldn’t let her go. And I couldn’t let her take Lolly.