‘Oh, sorry,’ said Steph. ‘I was just admiring this lodge. I’m a guest here – well, I was for the weekend, but now I’m staying on for the week to help out with housekeeping.’

The woman’s face relaxed and she smiled. ‘Oh, you must be Steph. I was told about you.’ She put the brake on the buggy. ‘My name’s Natalie Sinclair; I’m married to Owen, Harry’s brother.’

‘Pleased to meet you,’ said Steph, holding out her hand. She noted that Natalie had added the caveat of Harry’s brother and obviously knew that she and Harry were on good terms. She wondered how much Harry had told his family about their relationship.

Natalie shook her hand. ‘This is where Owen and I live with this little gang,’ she said. ‘It’s close to the main part of the resort but far enough away to feel like we’re not living on top of his mother.’

‘I didn’t realise that. I assumed you lived in the main house or off-site,’ said Steph, once again admiring the facade of the property.

‘No. We’ve all got our own lodges. Dominic’s is over there, a bit behind ours, and Harry’s is the other side. Although Harry doesn’t like being in his too much since … since he’s been widowed.’

Steph couldn’t believe her luck at the opening Natalie had given her. ‘Yes, it’s terrible what happened to Elizabeth. Of course, she was your sister-in-law; were you two close?’

‘We got on well,’ said Natalie. ‘There was a certain camaraderie between us. We were the interlopers into the family – the outsiders who became the insiders.’ She laughed. ‘I’m exaggerating, of course, but you know what I mean. It’s not always easy marrying into a tight-knit family like the Sinclairs with Pru at the helm.’

‘But you get a beautiful home in beautiful surroundings,’ said Steph, hoping to keep Natalie at her ease. She was easy to talk to and willing to talk. In the few minutes they had spoken to each other, Steph had got the impression that Natalie was a bit lonely and was enjoying the chance to have a friendly chat. Cameron had already told her that Elizabeth had felt lonely – had she been desperate for a friend in the weeks and months before she died?

Steph looked down at the twin boys in the buggy and the older child, a girl, who was crouched down investigating something in the dirt. ‘You look like you have your hands full.’

‘Oh, they keep me busy all right,’ said Natalie. ‘The boys came along rather sooner than anticipated and at double the number than anticipated.’ She spoke warmly about the children and Steph could see just from her expression how much she adored her family.

‘Have they got any cousins?’ asked Steph, already knowing the answer.