‘I want the truth, Beth,’ she replied. ‘I have to know.’

‘Know what?’ I asked, playing for time, because I suddenly knew what she was going to ask me.

She hesitated, then she looked me full in the face and said, ‘Hannah told me that my mother pushed Nadia. That she murdered her. Is it true?’

‘Murdered her?’ I echoed. ‘Why do you think that?’

‘Hannah told me. She was so certain. So absolutely convinced of it. I need to know if it’s true, if my mother really did it. Because if she is capable of such a vile thing, then I know I can never go back, I never want to see her again.’

I stared back at her. And I still don’t know what made me say it, only that I was still overwhelmed with resentment and pain. I’d lost my family, and I admit I did blame Rose. It was all her fault that Toby and Doug were dead. Why should I lie for her? Why should I tell Emily her mother was innocent, let them be reunited, rebuild their perfect, charmed life when mine was in tatters, when I had nothing left? I’d asked Rose for help once and she’d walked away – why should I help her now? So I said it. I told her the truth, I looked Emily in the eye and said, ‘Yes, it’s true.’

She gasped, her face drained of colour. ‘It is?’

I wanted to take it back then and there, because I saw that Emily hadn’t really believed it, that she couldn’t believe her mother could have done such a wicked thing. I saw that she’d wanted me to tell her that of course her mother was innocent, so she could go back to her family, build bridges with her father, carry on with her life, and in a few seconds I’d taken all that away. ‘Emily,’ I said, ‘go and see your parents, they love you – whatever they’ve done, they love you very much. Go and see them, I’ve lost my family, don’t lose yours.’

But she turned away from me. ‘I can’t.’

‘But where will you go? What will you do? Are you still with your baby’s father?’

She shook her head. ‘We split up,’ she said quietly. ‘He’s not interested. I don’t know what I’ll do now. I got friendly with a girl from Glasgow last summer, I still have her address. Maybe I’ll look her up, try to get a job up there.’

‘Will you be all right?’

She looked at me sadly. ‘I guess I’ll find out.’ She wiped her eyes. ‘Never tell them, Beth. Do you promise me that? Never tell my mother you saw me today.’

‘I promise,’ I said.