Harri held her breath and for a moment she wasn’t sure whether he might hit her or kiss her, but his gaze softened and his mood shifted as though clouds of melancholy had swept over him.

‘Forgive them, for they know not what they do,’ Ben muttered. ‘Isn’t that what the book says? And that’s what I’ll do. I will always forgive you, because that’s also part of my journey. I still love you, you know?’

There he was, playing with her mind again. Toying with her emotions and reopening the wound he’d scored into her heart. How could he be so cruel?

He stepped away, and Harri inhaled deeply, grateful for the sound of people moving in the hallway. Moments later, two women entered the living room and looked around with the critical eyes of a couple of tax inspectors. The older of the two wore a cheap sky-blue skirt and matching blazer and had short red hair. The younger woman was in jeans and a red blouse, and her blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun which made her look quite severe.

A familiar face appeared behind the two women.

‘Harri? What are you doing here?’ Sabih Khan asked. Harri knew him sufficiently well to recognize his sheepish expression. He clearly still felt guilty.

‘She’s poking around in things that don’t concern her,’ Ben replied. ‘Much like you people.’

‘Now, Mr Elmys, we’re here to check on Elliot’s welfare. My name is Amanda Booker, but you can call me Mandy. And this is Nessa Dooley,’ the older woman said with one of the least sincere smiles Harri had ever seen. ‘If we can have some privacy, we can get started.’

Everyone looked at Harri pointedly.

‘Don’t feel the need to go, Ms Kealty,’ Ben said. ‘Please finish whatever you were doing.’

Harri blushed and eased past him and Elliot. Mandy and Nessa stood aside and let her go by, and she joined Sabih in the hallway.

Nessa shut the door and there was indistinct conversation as Harri and Sabih moved away.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ he asked. ‘Don’t tell me you broke in?’

‘Who are they?’ Harri countered as they walked towards the kitchen.

‘Social workers. Powell insisted we call them to make sure the child isn’t at risk.’

‘Powell,’ Harri scoffed.

‘Easy, tiger. He’s just doing his job.’

‘Like you?’ Harri asked bitterly.

Sabih ignored the dig, glanced around the kitchen, and took in the mess. Harri shut the door behind them.

‘Reminds me of your place,’ he said.

‘You don’t get to make jokes,’ she responded.

‘I’m sorry, H, you know I had to make it official. And I had to tell Powell about you and Elmys. The housekeeper knew, for god’s sake. He would have found out anyway.’

Harri glowered at him.

‘Don’t be like that, H,’ he pleaded. ‘Come on. Please.’

‘Keele hired me to do some background on him,’ she replied. She didn’t want to listen to more of his pleas for forgiveness.