‘How was Linus when you left?’ she asked, stepping onto safe ground.

Hanna’s mouth turned downwards and she lifted her gaze off her daughters, staring out to sea, a flock of scolder ducks coming in to land on the water in a riotous chain of splashes. ‘So-so. I think he would have liked to come back here with me. But then Emil offered to take him on a helicopter ride around the archipelago later, so . . .’ She shrugged.

‘Wow.’

‘Mmm . . . He’s spoiling him, of course.’

‘Yes.’

‘I knew he would.’ She clicked her tongue against the top of her mouth, still watching the girls. ‘I don’t suppose I can blame him, though. I would do the same. I would do whatever it took to make my child love me again.’

Bell didn’t comment. She would not be drawn. She was the nanny. This was a job.

Hanna sighed, clasping her hands together between her knees and dropping her head. ‘Listen, Bell, Max told me what you’d said, about not going back there. You don’t want to deal with Emil.’ She pinned Bell with her customary cool stare. ‘And I think I know why.’

Bell felt her blood freeze, her cheeks burn. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Emil had told her the truth about them?

Hanna glanced around, checking they were still alone. ‘You know, don’t you?’ she whispered. ‘About the other night.’

What? Bell blinked back, heart thudding as the confusion cleared. Her secret was still just that? He hadn’t said anything about them? ‘. . . Yes.’

‘That’s why you didn’t want to go back – your loyalty is with Max.’

Bell looked down at the deck. ‘Yes,’ she lied.

Hanna leaned in to her, urgency in the movements. ‘Bell, it was never my intention to drag you into this. I would never knowingly put you in a position where you had to lie for me, or felt like you had to choose.’ Hanna glanced at her askance. ‘You must think I’m a terrible person.’

‘Of course I don’t. I . . . I don’t know what I’d do if I was in your shoes.’

‘I love Max. You have to believe that.’

Bell looked sidelong at her, sensing a ‘but’.

Hanna dropped her head, nodding ashamedly. ‘But, yes, I love Emil too. As much as I wish I didn’t. As much as he doesn’t deserve it after the things he’s said and done.’ She sighed. ‘Maybe part of it is guilt, I don’t know.’

Bell looked at her. ‘Why would you feel guilty? He’s treated you appallingly.’

‘But he doesn’t deserve what’s happened to him. No one does. No matter how vile his behaviour, he’s still lost more and suffered more than the rest of us put together. I can understand his rage, even if I don’t like it. He’s a desperate man.’

They watched the girls together in pensive silence, both knowing there was no easy answer, no compromise, no kind solution to their problem. Someone had to lose. Someone had to get hurt.