‘I can’t, V.’ He took a deep breath, the girl heavy in his arms. ‘I have to get the kid help. You must see that.’

‘You will come back, won’t you?’ Verity said, as he turned and headed for the door. ‘Promise us that.’

Hugh looked back over his shoulder, and into his sister’s pleading eyes. Her arms were limp by her sides, like a puppet without strings; tears glistened along her lashes and rolled down her plump cheeks. She was defeated, and Hugh hated that. His sister had always been the fighter. The strong, feisty young woman, who’d battled to keep him safe throughout his life, was now a wreck. Had he done that to her? Should he stay?

‘I can’t,’ he said. ‘But I will be back.’ And at that moment, he believed his words. He had no intention of deserting the sister who’d protected him all his young life, or his niece. She and her daughter needed help as much as the girl in his arms, and he would get that for them. He would make things right. ‘I’ll bring help, Verity.’ He looked at the girl standing beside her. ‘Faith will need psychological help.’

‘No! She’s doing fine, Hugh.’

‘But you led her to believe I was her father, and she’s been playing in the attic with a child she thought was a puppet. She’ll need help, Verity, and I’ll get that for her.’

‘No, we’ll be OK, Hugh. We don’t need anyone here but us.’

‘And we should sell the house.’ His gaze roamed the kitchen. The place made his stomach heave. ‘We must all get away from the poison in these walls. I know you feel it too. The past is still here, haunting us.’ He shuddered. ‘Felix Flynn damaged both of us. We have to get away from here, for these kids’ sakes, if not for ours.’

‘But I like it here, Daddy,’ Faith said, and Hugh stared down at the child he now knew to be his niece. There was something chilling about the little girl’s voice – as though someone else was speaking for her. No, he was being ridiculous, overemotional. ‘I want to stay here forever and ever. I want you to stay too, Daddy.’

His heart ached, as he looked at her standing next to Verity, cute in dungarees and a yellow T-shirt, her dark hair layered to her shoulders. ‘You have to stay,’ she said. ‘You have to stay with us, Daddy.’

Hugh froze in the doorway, adjusting the child in his arms. ‘I can’t stay. And neither can you. This life isn’t normal, sweetheart. You’ll understand that when you are bigger. But I will get help for you and your mummy. I promise.’

‘No!’ the child yelled, and stomped her foot one, two, three times. ‘Don’t go, Daddy. Don’t take Rosie.’