I try a change of subject.

“Greg, did you put all those horrible notes through the door? Was it to scare me off? Was the camera a ploy to throw me off your scent?”

“No, but I do know that it was Tamsin.”

“How do you know?”

“I saw her putting something through your letterbox one evening.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it. Believe me or don’t believe me. It doesn’t bother me either way. I thought you’d like to have it confirmed on camera, proper proof and all that. I’m sorry that hasn’t been the case so far. One more thing before I go...Tamsin did voice her disgust to me, and others, on more than one occasion regarding you and Stuart moving on so swiftly.”

I watch him drive away, wishing he was leaving our lives for good.

Holding Jack in my arms, I say good-night to Emily and switch off her light.

“Marie?” she says into the darkness.

“Yes, darling?”

“Are the photos Greg took going to be better than the last ones?”

“What do you mean?”

“He took pictures of me, Mummy and Felix when he was still practicing, but Mum said they weren’t his best.”

Goose bumps snake down my arms. “When was this, darling?”

“A long time ago. He had a beard then. He made us say ‘pizza,’ not ‘cheese.’”

“Can you remember what you were wearing?”

She shrugs.

“How about if I show you a photo?”

“Okay.”

My legs are weak as I walk down the stairs and remove the first ever anonymous picture I received through the letterbox (of Nina and the children) from my evidence collection. Back upstairs, I show it to Em.

“Yeah, that’s the one he took.”

“Thanks, darling. You’ve been a great help.”

I feel such a surge of affection for her. I’ve been too harsh in judging her. She’ll go far, she has a natural energy and curiosity about her that I must nurture and appreciate more.

Why is Greg trying to frame Tamsin for something he’s done?

Thirty-Eight

I’m trapped by all my unwise past choices. As much as I hate what Camilla (and Nina) did, Greg doesn’t have the right to make that decision. One thing makes perfect sense: I cannot allow Greg to break my promise to Nina. She trusted me to protect her reputation for the sake of her (now my) family. If Camilla is investigated for this, she’ll pin all the blame onto Nina because she isn’t here to defend herself. Clearly, she’s spun Greg a version where Nina played a greater role than she did.

An accomplice indeed! Jack does not need to be connected (however loosely) to something so negative and potentially harmful so early on in his life.

I take several walks a day, sometimes with Jack in his buggy, but mostly in his baby-sling, which slows me down as I stop every few minutes to check that he’s breathing. This morning, after school drop-off (it’s wonderful to be back into some kind of routine), I’m braving a longer walk with Goldie by my side. As I head toward the main part of the village, a bird thrashes in a beech tree, making me jump as I exit the pathway.