‘Are you going somewhere?’

‘No, I’m not,’ he replied, immediately picking up his phone as it rang. ‘Have you seen her?’ he asked the caller. ‘Do you know where she is?’ Roman was frantic, raking a hand through his hair. He seemed at his wits’ end, and the second he hung up the call he began to pace up and down the hallway.

Ella took hold of his arm. ‘I’m going to make you a drink,’ she said, taking control and shutting the door behind her.

‘Tea is really not going to help me.’ He blew out a breath. ‘I’ve just got no one left to call now. No one has seen her.’

‘Seen who?’

Roman stared into Ella’s eyes.

‘Roman, who?’

‘Megan, she’s gone again.’

‘Gone where?’

‘I don’t know, probably Edinburgh, but I can’t take much more. The way she’s going, she’ll end up dead.’

‘Let’s go and sit down,’ Ella said with authority and Roman didn’t object. She followed him down the hallway into an impressive living room that looked like it could be featured in Scottish Life.

In each alcove at the side of the striking fireplace were shelves spilling over with books. There was a cosy two-seat settee and leather wingback armchairs placed at either end of the coffee table in front of the log fire, which was currently kicking out some heat. There was also a dresser full of photographs.

Ella swallowed down a lump as she picked up a photograph of a younger-looking Roman with his arms around a girl. ‘I didn’t know you were married.’ Ella cast a glance towards his ring and put the photograph back. ‘Why would you keep that from me? I’ve not got a clue what’s going on here, Roman, but I felt something between us and I thought you did too. There’s something going on in your life that you won’t talk about, but after everything I’ve been through, you just need to be honest because I’ve had a bellyful of lies and secrecy – enough to last me a lifetime. I just don’t understand why you wouldn’t have said you have a wife, a daughter. I actually came here to ask you to work on a new project with me, but all this is just a little too much.’ Ella stood up.

‘Please don’t go. I’m not married. I’m really not. Please sit down.’

Ella sat back down and watched Roman remove the ring from his finger and place it in the middle of the table.