‘You can’t just go marching in and taking a child to see a waterfall in a place that might not be her home. It’s against the rules. Especially if she’s a minor …’

‘Oh, come on, it’s obvious she’s over sixteen,’ Amber says. ‘And anyway, since when have you two played by the rules?’

Her mum lifts her chin up proudly. ‘You have a point there. But still …’

‘It’s no use, Rita. She’s got the look,’ Viv says in a reverent whisper.

Rita narrows her eyes at her daughter then nods. ‘She has, hasn’t she?’

‘What look?’ Amber asks the two women.

‘The Caulfield look,’ Viv explains. ‘Once you get an idea in your mind, that’s it. No changing it.’

‘Nothing stops the Caulfields,’ Amber says. ‘And this Caulfield is going to the Highlands for Christmas.’

The two women laugh. ‘It’s a crazy idea, darling,’ Rita says as she takes Amber’s face in her hands and smiles at her with tears in her eyes. ‘But it’s the first crazy idea you’ve had in a long time and that makes my heart sing.’

As they both hug Amber, she watches as snow falls from the sky. Maybe the idea is too crazy. But she needs to try. She has to. She thinks of the young, scared girl currently sitting in hospital and imagines her face when she tells her.

‘Scotland, here I come,’ she says with a determined smile.

Chapter Ten

Gwyneth

Audhild Loch

25 December 1989

Despite being solitary creatures, snowy owls will protect their young with a ferocity that seems out of place compared with their soft exteriors.

‘Heather?’ I turned to see Dylan standing in the open doorway of the house in tartan pyjama bottoms and a white T-shirt that accentuated his broad chest and arms. He pulled on some boots and jogged out, hands wrapped around his bare muscled arms as he shivered. ‘What the hell are you doing out here?’ he said when he got to the lonely figure of his young sister.

Heather continued staring out towards the frozen loch.

‘I heard her crying out here,’ I said.

‘Here, let’s get you in,’ he said, trying to steer his sister inside, but she shoved him off.

‘I don’t need your help,’ she hissed, eyes sparking with anger. ‘I don’t need anyone’s help.’ Then she ran inside, snow flying up behind her.

Dylan closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

‘I told myself I wouldn’t ask,’ I said, ‘but I can’t help myself … is there something going on with your family?’

He shook his head, teeth chattering. ‘It’s a long story.’

I put my hand on his arm. ‘I’m here to listen, if you need me to.’

‘Really? You want to stand out here in the freezing cold and listen to how fucked up my family is?’