“Well, as I say, I haven’t actually booked it yet, but …”

“Don’t you think we should? What if there’s no availability for next week?” Al waves a hand dismissively. “Never mind, I’ll organise it once I get back to Pokhara, if you can give me the cash.”

“I haven’t got it on me. I’d … I’d need to go to a bank.”

“Right.” Al shrugs. “Then I guess we’ll have to wait until we’re all back in Pokhara, then.”

“The rain is getting heavier.” I hold out a hand, palm up, and gaze up at the sky. Even in the darkness there’s no mistaking the menacing clouds looming overhead.

“Fuck.” Al tucks her Marlboro Lights into her bra strap and sighs heavily, looking morosely out at the view. “Tomorrow it is, then. I can put up with Isis for one more night, I guess. Come on, let’s get back inside before it pisses down.”

She sets off towards the house at a surprisingly speedy pace, and I set off after her, only pausing to glance back when I reach the now deserted patio. The heavy clouds above have finally broken open, but the firepit is still alight, a single log glowing in its belly though Isaac is long gone.

“Daisy! Leanne!” I shield my eyes from the rain and shout down to Leanne and Daisy, who are still standing beneath the mango trees, two dark, indistinct shapes in the gloom, their heads close together, as though deep in conversation. “Come on, you’ll get soaked!”

Neither of them acknowledges me.

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Present Day

“Jane! Lovely to see you.” Sheila envelops me in a bear hug, pressing my head to her sizeable bosom, then holds me at arm’s length and looks me up and down. “How are you doing?”

“Great,” I say, when the truth is I’ve never felt so tired.

After Angharad’s visit yesterday, I had even less sleep than the night before. I got out of bed three times to search for the note. I looked through the filing tray and the letter rack. I got on my hands and knees and peered under the Welsh dresser, and nearly put my back out trying to pull it away from the wall so I could check behind it. I rummaged through the bin, my pockets, the living room, but there was no sign of it. It had definitely gone.