He’d only wanted to apologise to her that night. To have Sarah forgive him, not look at him as if he were something abhorrent. He recalled stumbling home after several brandies at the club. He’d needed them. Knowing he’d be highly unlikely to get a warm reception if he went to his own bedroom reeking of alcohol, he went into the girls’ room – he could remember that much. After that, nothing.

‘I don’t know what happened. I don’t remember,’ he said, his voice a hoarse whisper as he looked again at Diana, his heart leaden with the weight of the guilt he’d borne since that night. Would always.

‘She was your daughter,’ Diana seethed. ‘I loved her. Karla loved her. She was her sister! She never knew her as anything but. And you had her blaming herself for her death, you despicable bastard!’

‘I didn’t want her to do that.’ Robert took a faltering step towards her. ‘I—’

‘You lied!’ Diana’s voice was shrill, her face tight with fury. And now Robert was truly scared. She’d never spoken to him like that before. ‘You made Karla lie for you! Have you any idea what that would do to a child? The guilt you caused? The heartbreak?’

‘It broke my heart, too.’ Desperate, Robert took another step. ‘I didn’t mean to—’

‘I’m going,’ Diana stated flatly. There was no compassion in her expression. Not a smidgeon. Just a pitying look in her eyes as she walked past him to the door.

Robert felt his chest tighten, his heart rate quicken. He would have a heart attack before the day was through, he swore. He breathed in hard, feeling his fury at the unjustness of it all, the suffering he’d endured at the hands of other people, mounting inside him. ‘You won’t get a penny from me!’ he yelled, whirling around after her. ‘Not a penny! Do you hear me? Don’t even bother trying, Diana!’

Diana stopped, and faced him. ‘I don’t need to. The house is half mine and I have investments of my own, Robert; something you wouldn’t be aware of.’

‘What investments?’ Robert scoffed. He gave her a monthly allowance – a generous one, he considered. He permitted her access to certain accounts, but she would never have been able to stow away enough to afford the lifestyle to which she’d become accustomed. Unless… Recalling the discrepancies on his statements, funds not showing that should have, Robert blinked, stupefied. Had she somehow accessed his business accounts? Was his accountant aware that she had?

Diana didn’t answer; she simply studied him for a long unnerving moment, then, ‘I know what you did,’ she announced. ‘I know why Jason turned down the loan.’

Robert felt the blood drain from his face. ‘What are you talking about?’ His voice came out a croak.