Piotr wasn’t shouting with the rest though. He was standing still in the middle of the huddle, and he smiled at her as she began to explain, to answer their questions as best she could, to tell them everything she knew. On the wall, her plan was written clearly for everyone to see, along with her naivety, or perhaps her optimism, or perhaps her life’s work. Glancing at it, she felt suddenly afraid. She didn’t know if she was doing the right thing. She didn’t know if she could make any difference. Except that something was different already, because she was here. And now she was surrounded by all these people; by this humanity, and its questions.

Acknowledgements

This story would not exist the way it is without the advice, feedback and inspiration of Jane Alexander, Viccy Adams, Margaret Callaghan, Michael Gallacher, Alison Hennessey, Kirsty Logan, Katy McAulay, Ally Sedgwick, Chris Sedgwick, Brigit Sedgwick, Andrew Thompson, Kate Tough, Mark Buckland, Simon Cree, Harry Josephine Giles, Gill Tasker, and everyone at Scottish Book Trust. This book would not exist the way it does without the skill, talent and belief of my agent Cathryn Summerhayes and my publishers Liz Foley, Anna Redman, Mikaela Pedlow, Julia Connolly, Candice Carty-Williams, Katherine Fry, Nicky Jeanes, and Shabana Shakir. And I would not exist the way I am without the love and support of my family and my partner Michael. To all of you, thank you.

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