It was early evening by the time they got back to Bramhurst. Clodagh got out of the car and looked up at the empty house, wondering if this was a good idea. She wasn’t sure she felt ready to be back here so soon.

‘It’ll be easier once you get inside,’ Bella said, lifting Clodagh’s bag from the boot of the car. ‘You’ve got a key?’

Clodagh found her front door key and, somehow, managed to put it in the lock and open the door. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside the house and was immediately assailed by memories. All the times she’d stayed here when Vivienne was still alive, sharing meals with her sister and her new husband, trying her hardest to be happy for them despite the bitter jealousy she’d thought she might never get past. Then later, once she’d accepted the marriage, there’d been happier times, sharing a bottle of Prosecco in the garden with Vivienne while Adam cooked dinner. Waking up in the spare bedroom and looking out over the downs, thinking how lucky her sister was to live somewhere so beautiful. Never once imagining that she, too, would live here one day. And alongside all of this, she remembered as well how happy she’d been when she first got together with Adam.

‘How could I have missed it?’ she said.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Adam. No matter how hard I try, I can’t imagine him doing those things.’

‘Clodagh, you saw what Vivienne wrote. You know what he’s capable of.’

The problem was Clodagh knew what Vivienne had been capable of too.

‘I’m so tired,’ she said. ‘I don’t know what to think, any more.’

‘I do understand, you know.’ Bella took a step towards her, put her hand on Clodagh’s arm. ‘It’s a terrible shock when you realise the person you’ve been with isn’t who you think they are. But I promise, the sooner you accept it, the easier it will be.’

Clodagh had read all about the five stages of grief and recognised that she was deep into the first stage: denial.

‘I’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep,’ she said. ‘My head feels as if it’s going to explode with all the different thoughts swirling around in there.’

‘I’m going to stay the night,’ Bella said.

‘You really don’t have to do that.’

‘I do, actually. You’re in no fit state to be by yourself. I wouldn’t be able to relax if I left you alone. I’m not giving you any choice in the matter.’

‘What about Simon?’

‘Simon will understand. Why don’t you go upstairs, have a bath while I cook dinner?’

Clodagh knew she should tell Bella to go home, that she’d be fine by herself. But when she opened her mouth to speak, she burst into tears instead.