They both went to speak at the same time and stopped abruptly. ‘You first,’ said Steph.

‘I was just going to say that we’ve decided to sell Conmere.’

‘Sell it? Wow. I didn’t think you’d do that.’

‘I want out whatever. Owen wants to run his own stables and riding school. He’s talking of moving to Norfolk. That’s where Natalie’s parents are. He wants a clean break. To start again without any baggage. Personally, I think he wants to get as far away from Dominic as possible. He’s been in rehab the last four weeks.’

‘I hope it works out for him. And Dominic?’ By rights, he should have been locked up for drug dealing but by the time the police had searched the resort and the boathouse, there had been no evidence to find.

‘He’s talking about going into business with his friend, property developing.’

‘And you?’ she asked tentatively.

‘I know about Elizabeth and Dominic,’ said Harry, not answering her question.

She couldn’t meet his gaze and looked down at her feet. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t a complete surprise, if I’m honest. I was already suspicious of Elizabeth, and as for Dominic, he always wanted to spoil what I had. Goes way back to when we were kids. I thought he was over it as an adult, but clearly I was wrong.’

‘You sound very magnanimous about it all.’

‘I might do now. It’s amazing how dropping your brother with one punch to the jaw can work wonders for your anger.’

‘You didn’t?’

‘Yep. Afraid so.’

‘He deserved it. And more.’ This time she did meet his gaze. ‘Wish I’d been there to see it.’ They exchanged a smile.

‘How is your mum?’ asked Harry, shifting the conversation on. ‘I hear she’s moved away. Devon?’

‘That’s right. She’s already in her new apartment. I take it the police told you that they had reviewed the original investigation?’

‘Yeah. They found no evidence of her failing to perform her duties diligently.’ Harry blew out a breath. ‘I’m still getting my head round that one. I still don’t really know what to believe.’

‘She was told not to dig too deep,’ said Steph, feeling she wanted to defend her mother and yet knowing Wendy had done wrong. ‘But you know why and it won’t do any good going over that again. I am sorry.’

‘You don’t have to be sorry. You’ve done nothing wrong. All you’ve done is give Sonia Lomas some sense of closure. It may not be exactly what she was hoping for, but I think she’s taken some sort of comfort from Mum’s death.’ He said the words with no malice as he looked around the room.