He pulls me close, hugs me tightly.

We both stand still; it’s the closest I’ve ever felt to him.

Behind his back, the door opens.

“Only me, I forgot my phone.” Camilla’s voice.

She stops. Her expression can only be described as murderous.

“You two?” she says. “Of course, stupid me.”

Stuart releases me and swings round.

“Oh my God.” Camilla looks straight at him. “You’ve made a big mistake. Marie always wanted Nina’s life. You promised there was nothing between you, that she’d move on. Have you no respect for Nina’s—your wife’s—memory?”

“Of course I have!”

“Oh, Stuart, for God’s sake, open your eyes! Next you’ll say that life goes on,” says Camilla. She strides toward the back door. “When we all know that it doesn’t.” She opens the door. “No wonder you didn’t want me round here,” she says directly to me. “That’s why you bought a dog. Don’t kid yourself, Stuart, that it was anything to do with helping your precious family heal. Marie is the ultimate smiling assassin, she plays the wronged girl next door card to a T!”

“Camilla, please come and sit down—”

She slams the back door without hearing the rest of Stuart’s sentence.

He paces the kitchen.

Despite the moment, real joy at becoming pregnant, after all the heartache and disappointment, finally takes hold. Finally I can tell my mother, make her happy again. I can’t wait to see her face. I’m so relieved that Stuart seems cautiously pleased.

“I can’t believe that I’m going to be a father again.”

Again. Such a small, insignificant word, yet it needles me. The stark reminder that he’s had this kind of conversation before, but with Nina.

I notice that Stuart has gone silent.

Now the news is sinking in, he’s fully realizing the enormity of our situation.

“What’s wrong?” I say.

“I’m going after Camilla,” he says. “I need to talk to her.”

“Why?” I say. “You’ve done more than enough for her. We don’t owe her anything.”

“I want her to keep quiet. You and me, we can tell people when we’re ready. She’s becoming a loose cannon. I’ll calm her down.”

“There’s nothing really to tell,” I say. “She only saw a hug. She doesn’t know about the pregnancy.”

It does not change Stuart’s mind. He leaves, shutting the door firmly behind him.

Sickness unfurls. His desperation to speak to her doesn’t make sense.

I check the children are both asleep. I won’t be long.

I follow in Stuart’s footsteps, taking care in the dark as I don’t want a flashlight to give me away.

The lights are on, but the curtains are drawn. The front door is shut. My heart is beating so hard it hurts. I circle the house, but there’s nothing to see. There’s only one thing I can do if I want to find out the truth, put my mind at rest. I take out my keys to the cottage. I slide them into the lock and push the door open.