‘Are you going to sit down?’ Wendy placed a cup of tea on the kitchen table and a cup of black coffee for herself on the opposite side. A symbolic gesture, even if an unconscious one, thought Steph as she sat down facing her mother. There was no mistaking the chill in the air despite the warmth of the sun shining in through the window. ‘When are you going back to Brighton?’ asked Wendy.

‘Not sure yet. Maybe at the weekend.’

‘If it’s money stopping you going home, then I can give you petrol money and some extra cash to keep you going.’

Steph almost choked on the mouthful of tea she was in the middle of swallowing. She gulped it down and disguised her surprise with a cough. ‘Went down the wrong way.’

‘Yeah, of course it did.’ Wendy eyed Steph across the table. ‘I’ve got enough cash in my purse for petrol. I can send the rest by bank transfer. If you leave in the next couple of hours, you’ll be home before midnight.’

Steph put her cup on the table firmly to underline what she was about to say. ‘I’m not leaving today.’ She met her mother’s gaze with equal intensity. ‘I have money to get home, but I’m not leaving yet.’

‘I think you should.’

‘I know.’

The clouds had shifted in the sky and the sun was hidden, casting a shadow across Wendy’s face, which darkened with her mood. ‘I want you to go. Today.’

‘I don’t know why you don’t want me here,’ said Steph. Wasn’t it just the other day her mother was phoning to see how she was and suggesting they go for lunch? Now it was as if that had never happened and they were back to square one with each other. ‘I can’t make up my mind if it’s because you’re frightened of what I might discover or if you just really can’t bear being in my company for too long.’ She rose from the table. ‘Your call wasn’t because you were concerned about me. It was because you wanted to see if I had left. Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, and I’m sorry I cause you so much discomfort and displeasure.’ She waited for Wendy to say something, to deny her accusations, to ask her to stay, but she did nothing. She remained in her seat and continued staring straight ahead. ‘I’ll text you when I leave, just to reassure you that I’ve gone.’ Steph’s words were bitter, maybe more so than she had intended, but it was that or break down and cry in front of her mother, which was the last thing she wanted to do. She wasn’t going to give that woman the satisfaction.

‘Wait!’ Wendy rose from her seat.

Steph stood still. ‘What?’