Kate rolls her eyes. ‘Well, I went to school to pick her up, but she came out and casually informed me she’s going to a friend’s house after school. I didn’t want to say no, because of course I’m relieved she’s making friends. But I wish she’d texted me earlier, so I hadn’t wasted all that time trying to get parked. Never mind. This hopefully means she’s going to settle in okay.’ She shrugs off her coat. I take it from her, turning away, trying to hide my crushing disappointment. I attempt to make some space on the rack, managing instead to dislodge half the other coats, which slide to the floor.

‘Go through. I’ll be in in a sec.’ I wave Kate into the kitchen as Jess and Amy finally come in through the front door, handing me their coats and sloping off upstairs. Despite my smiles, I feel like crying. I’m tempted to chuck all the coats on the floor and leave them there, but instead, I calmly hang them all, trying to pull myself together.

What’s the point of today if Bella isn’t even going to be here? Now I’m going to have to spend all afternoon making polite conversation with a woman who’s potentially a child abductor. As I hang up the final coat, I realise that I’m being stupid. I should treat this as a fact-finding mission. This is my opportunity to quiz Kate about where she’s from and what she’s doing here in Dorset – see if I can glean any useful information. I need to be friendly and charming and not give her any cause to suspect what I know. My brain knows this is a good idea, but my heart is heavy with longing.

Last night in bed, I lay there imagining a perfect reunion with my daughter, a bright glow of recognition in her eyes. I pictured the scene in minute crystal-clear detail. How we’ll talk about her deep-rooted feelings that she never really belonged to her family. How she always felt so different. We’ll hug one another and weep for all the lost years. But then we’ll resolve not to waste a minute more steeped in regret. Instead, we’ll make up for lost time, and do all those mother–daughter things we never got to do together.

She’ll meet her biological sister, Jess. And although she grew up with Amy as her sister, they were never that close… or maybe they were close, and the three of them will become inseparable. Kate will have to go to prison – there’s no other option. Not after putting me through years of hell. But I’ll be dignified about it. I won’t rail and rant…