My head is telling me to get dressed and leave right now. But they’ll hear me go down and I don’t have the strength to argue with them. I certainly don’t have the energy to run away. I have to keep the pretense going for a little while longer.

I stand in the semidarkness of the landing and peer over the balustrade into the hallway below, straining my ears to hear what they’re saying, but the only thing I pick up is the tone. The conspiratorial tone of two people who don’t want to be heard but who obviously have a great deal to say to each other.

I give up trying to eavesdrop and go and wash my face. One glance in the mirror tells me I look as bad as I feel. I’m pale as a ghost and there are dark shadows under my eyes. My hair is wild and uncombed, my lips dry and parched. I drag a brush through my hair and put some Vaseline on my lips, rub my cheeks with my fingers to try to get some color in them.

When I come out of the bathroom, I nearly jump out of my skin. Catherine is standing there, stock still, as if she’s been listening outside the door. It’s as much as I can do not to cringe at the sight of her.

“God, sorry!” she says, stepping back. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Her face is the picture of concern, but it isn’t real. I know that now. She still thinks I killed Alice.

“Lizzie, how are you?” she says.

That feeling I had when I first saw her in the hall, the night of the party, comes reeling back. The shock. The revulsion. But now it’s stronger than ever. I want to push her away from me, to pummel her chest with my fists and scream at her to get the hell out of here, but all I can do is smile weakly and pretend that I’m glad to see her. Surely she can see the suspicion in my eyes?

“I thought you’d gone,” I say, my pulse racing. It’s taking all of my efforts to keep my voice warm and natural. I feel like I want to vomit.

“I have, but I left my hair straighteners behind. I popped round to pick them up. Oh, Lizzie, I was so worried when I found you lying on the floor.”

“Oh, was it you who found me? I thought Ross said—”

“Well, I got home from work first. Ross came in a few minutes after. You poor thing. But Ross tells me the baby is fine, that they’ve checked you over and no harm has been done. What a relief.”