“Not that long ago,” Camilla replies.

I’m gently herding everyone toward the fence at the back which is easy to climb over so we can wander through the forest. I’ve promised Louise (I refuse to call her Lulu) that we’ll probably see ponies. Stuart is slightly ahead of us with the children. Felix is waving a big stick in the air and every now and then Em screeches in fear of being whacked.

“Em, darling, just try to keep out of his way.”

I’m a little frustrated that she hasn’t figured this out for herself yet.

“Roughly how long ago?” I say, turning my attention back to Camilla.

I’m not letting her get away with such blatant evasiveness. The timing of her unexpected reappearance means she’s going to have to put up with the inevitable curiosity.

“Maybe a few months or so. It was such a shock. I don’t like to think about it.”

“Why didn’t you come to the funeral?”

“I didn’t know then.”

Liar. The on-and-off emails between her and Nina were written in the five months leading to her passing away.

“Really? No one told you? How did you find out?”

“Maybe it was a bit before. Like I say, I don’t like to think about it. It all seemed to happen so quickly and it was...devastating.”

“I see. No, I don’t actually. I think it’s odd.”

“I’m sorry you find it odd. How is Stuart?”

“Coping,” I say.

“And what’s with you and him?”

“Nothing. I promised Nina I’d stick around, help ease them through the worst parts.”

She stops.

“Marie, I know we didn’t always see eye to eye but...is it a good idea? I must admit seeing you in the same house as him, in Nina’s world, it’s uncomfortable.”

I focus ahead. Louise is a mini-Camilla, strikingly so. Long blond hair almost flows behind her as the younger two follow her, Pied Piper-like.

“I know what I’m doing.” Her turn for an inquisition now. “Where’s Louisa’s father?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Things usually are,” I say. “That’s why it’s best not to judge others’ situations, in my opinion.”

“You haven’t changed, Marie,” she says. “I suspect Nina knew you’d be amazing with the children, but she clearly didn’t fully appreciate just how much you’d try to take over. It’s about balance, surely? Stuart always was and still appears to be capable. What does Deborah think about the situation?”

“She’s very happy with it,” I lie.

Deborah said something very similar to Camilla. It’s deeply insulting and disconcerting, like they’re all conspiring against me. I think back to the conversations Nina and I had as we reach the edge of the forest. We talked a lot about Ben and how he’d make a good father. I wonder now, was Nina testing me to make sure that I really did love Ben before she made me promise to look out for her family? She had nothing to worry about at the time, I never used to think of Stuart in that way. He’s...well, he’s just Stuart. Admittedly, I didn’t tell Nina about all the relationship cracks Ben and I experienced because I wanted our relationship to be more like hers. Sometimes, when I used to photograph weddings, I’d compare them to Nina and Stuart. They were my relationship barometer.