Karen nods. ‘Yes. Especially while we don’t … while Anna – Laura – doesn’t remember much, Ellie thinks it would be very difficult for her to deal with the press. It was such a huge story when Anna went, and while it’s been ages since anyone has shown any interest in us—’

‘Do you mind not talking about me as if I’m not here?’ I snap, and then clamp my hand over my mouth. It’s the first time I’ve been even vaguely rude in this house. ‘Sorry,’ I mumble. ‘I didn’t mean it to come out like that.’

Karen smiles and puts her hand on my arm. I manage not to flinch. ‘Sorry. It’s fine. My fault entirely – that was rude of me. I thought Ellie had talked to you about this. If the press get wind that you might be … Anna, back with us, they’ll have a field day. If they don’t know, you can live a much quieter life, which we think you’ll find easier. We’re only thinking of you.’

I nod. ‘It’s OK, I understand. I think Ellie did say something to me about it.’

‘So it’s up to you, Laura, but I thought it might be best if for now you say you are a cousin who’s visiting. And you’re already using the name Laura, so you should continue to do that, for now at least. Perhaps we could say your parents have had to go abroad for work? Maybe we could say they’re in the army? If anyone asks, which they probably won’t.’

This all seems very complicated, but I go along with it, telling her ‘Um … OK.’ I can’t imagine why the press would be interested in someone like me, but equally it doesn’t sound like something that I’d want. Not that I know anything about the press. Or, indeed, much at all about life outside my farmhouse, it is starting to dawn on me.

‘It’s just for the short term,’ she adds. ‘When – I mean if you feel ready, we might have to make some kind of official announcement. And even then it will probably be better to withhold your identity from the public. Either way, it will be better – for you – if we decide how and when to do it. Rather than accidentally letting something slip out.’

I nod. ‘It’s OK. That makes sense.’ It kind of does. I think.

‘And in case you were wondering, that’s also why we haven’t thrown a big party to welcome you home or anything. We thought it was better if we kept it all low key. As does Ellie.’ She smiles nervously, and I feel terrible for snapping at her. ‘Take care.’

‘We will,’ I say as Jesse grabs my arm and hauls me after him.

‘Sorry about that,’ he says as he slams the front door behind him.