‘Well.’ I start again. ‘Is this where it happened? Is this where he seduced you?’

‘I wish I hadn’t told you that.’

‘But you did. Was it?’

‘No. That was later, when we were back in London.’

‘But this is where it started, though, wasn’t it? You developed a crush and he noticed you. Consequently, your little sister felt as neglected and left out as Nick did.’

Her eyes darken and she stands up slowly.

‘I don’t want to talk about this.’

‘I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m just trying to work out what might have been going through Izzy’s head.’

‘Well, don’t. You don’t know anything about us.’

‘It’s what I’m here for, Anna,’ I say, exasperated. ‘I need to see and feel what Nick was going through and that means understanding Izzy too. Please don’t take it personally.’

She screws her face into an expression of scorn. ‘How am I meant to take it, then? Am I just supposed to let you play detective? You are so fucking arrogant, it’s unbelievable. I wish I hadn’t come.’

‘Anna, please …’

She glares at me, then turns and runs downstairs.

I stand for several seconds, transfixed by the space she’s left, then I go after her, skidding on the painted steps and grabbing the banister to stop myself landing on my bottom. I almost catch her in the hall as she throws the door open, but Mrs Burrows appears from one of the rooms and blocks my way.

‘Let her go,’ she says. ‘She was always one for flouncing out. It won’t last long.’

Anna’s feet pound across the hardstanding, then there’s silence as they hit grass. I watch as she marches across the lawn, Mrs Burrows beside me, a restraining hand on my arm.

We all hear the car at the same time. Anna stops in her tracks, as though she’s frozen, and my nerves leap as it comes into view. It’s the police. At last.

‘They’ll be here about the robbery,’ Mrs Burrows says.

‘What robbery?’

‘The shed. Garden burglaries are very common round here. The gardener noticed when he came this morning. It’s been broken into, and one or two things are missing.’

‘But what …’

She moves me out of the way impatiently, and strides to meet them. Anna is still standing in the middle of the lawn, looking like she’s forgotten where she was going. I walk over, and she turns to me.

‘What do they want?’

‘They’re investigating a shed burglary.’ I smile. ‘We’re not in London any more, Toto.’

‘What?’

‘Oh, nothing. I’m going to talk to them.’

I walk over purposefully. Mrs Burrows has her hands on her hips and the policeman is nodding sagely. He looks up as I approach.