With something approaching dread, Clodagh realised she should ask Bella if she wanted to stay for the night. She wondered, in fact, if that’s why Bella was here in the first place. Because she couldn’t face going back to her own house alone.

‘Is there anything I can do?’ she asked, pushing down the dread and forcing herself to do the right thing, even it wasn’t what she wanted.

‘You’re such a good friend,’ Bella said. ‘I don’t think I’d have got through these past years without you. I know it’s different because I wasn’t on the plane…’

‘You don’t need to explain,’ Clodagh said quickly. ‘I know how hard it’s been for you, Bella.’

She hadn’t planned this friendship. In the weeks and months following the crash, she’d done all she could to avoid contact with any of the people whose lives had been devasted by the crash. The person she wanted to avoid more than anyone was Bella Wakefield, the ex-wife of the pilot who’d been flying the plane that day. But a year after the accident, Bella turned up at Clodagh’s London apartment asking for help. And because, by then, Clodagh would have done anything to alleviate the crippling guilt that was with her every waking moment, she told Bella she’d help in whatever way she could.

‘You were the only one who didn’t turn me away,’ Bella said now. ‘You’ll never know how much that means to me. It was such a terrible time. All those rumours and speculation about whether or not the crash was Gary’s fault. The fact we were already divorced by then didn’t seem to make a blind bit of difference. Everyone still tried to find a way to blame me for what he’d done. I’m sure that’s why none of the others wanted to help me. Because they thought the crash was my fault.’

A dull ache at the back of Clodagh’s throat that wouldn’t disappear no matter how many times she swallowed.

‘No one ever blamed you,’ she said, meaning it.

‘I still find it hard to accept he did what they said,’ Bella said. ‘He loved his job. I can’t imagine he’d ever have taken a risk like that. I keep thinking something must have happened to him during that week in Crete to make him do what he did. What do you think, Clodagh? You were staying at the same resort. Did you notice anything?’

‘No.’ Clodagh pushed her chair back and stood up, unable to bear the intensity of Bella’s stare. ‘I’m going to make myself a chamomile tea. Do you want something to drink?’

‘I didn’t mean to upset you,’ Bella said. ‘I’m sorry, Clodagh. Nick’s death has stirred up a whole load of stuff I thought I’d put behind me.’