‘Never. The feeling I got when I saw Bella, it was so powerful. I felt as though I’d jumped into another life. The life I was supposed to have with my first daughter. But I’ll never have that, will I? It’s too late. Even if it turns out that Bella really is Holly, she doesn’t know me as her mother. I’m just some random stranger. She’ll never be able to call me “Mum”, will she?’ My voice has grown thick and unstable. I’m no longer choosing my words carefully. They’re rushing out in a torrent of emotion.

‘I mean, if Kate abducted my daughter when she was two, then Kate is her mum!’ I spit out my words. ‘This criminal has had the joy of raising my baby.’ I realise I may have gone a bit too far. I might be coming across as a bit unhinged. And I’m not; I’m just a mother trying to be reunited with her child. I attempt to slow my breathing. ‘I mean, I know there’s a slim chance I’m mistaken, which is why I can’t say anything to anyone yet.’

‘I can see how meeting Bella has triggered all these old feelings,’ Robin says carefully. ‘You saw someone with the same looks as your child, who’s the same age, from the same area. All these factors together have set off a series of emotions in you.’

‘Don’t you think it’s possible that she’s my daughter?’ I’m annoyed with myself for asking the question. It makes me sound desperate and needy, and I don’t want Robin’s pity.

‘I don’t know,’ Robin replies. ‘Looking at the odds, it would be quite a coincidence.’

‘Unless Kate has sought me out on purpose. Whoever took my child can’t be a mentally stable person, can they? What if she’s moved here to mess with me in some way? To taunt me.’

‘Is it just Kate and this daughter? Or does she have other children?’

‘She has a husband and two other children. And that’s another thing! She and her husband Shaun have blonde hair, the same as their two younger children. But Bella has dark wavy hair and green eyes. Nothing like them at all, but exactly like my Holly.’

Robin purses his lips. ‘Not all family members look alike. I have dark hair, but my brother’s hair is light brown.’

‘I know. I know all this. It’s just when you add everything together…’

‘Look, our time’s up for today, but would you like to have another appointment this week? It seems like there’s a lot we haven’t covered. I have a slot at six on Wednesday, if that’s any good.’