Finn they’d released on bail with Malcolm acting as his guarantor, and he was currently staying at the hotel.

Both Caroline and Finn had refused to see him, with Finn blaming all his sister’s woes on Greg. Something Greg accepted.

His own brush with the law in the form of Richard Longman QC had eventually fizzled out, mainly because Joanne had decided not to press charges regarding Richard’s attack on her in the lochan and, quid pro quo, Richard had dropped his own charge of assault against Greg.

Greg had no idea why Joanne had given up on that until eventually he’d decided to follow her blog posts as Maya Villan, convincing himself that this still lay within the rules of not contacting her.

There he discovered that instead of charging him with the single attack, she had outed Richard for what he was – a violent, abusive partner and sexual predator – and since that moment of courage, many other women had come forward to support her claims with their own.

He guessed that exposing Richard Longman QC on the hallowed London turf he called his own had been her intention, although he still feared for her safety because of it.

The blog was without images of her, so he had no idea if she’d ended the pregnancy or not, and no amount of googling either ‘Joanne Addington’ or ‘Maya Villan’ had changed that.

‘I’ll get in touch when it’s over,’ had been her final words to him, and he still had no idea what the ‘it’ she’d referred to encompassed.

What was in no doubt, however, was her determination to accomplish whatever journey she’d set out on.

Driving along Main Street, he noted that Kath was back, her car parked in the drive, so he pulled in behind her. Obviously watching for him, she opened the door on his approach. ‘Come away in, Greg, and I’ll bring you up to date.’

It had been like this from the beginning. He had tried to keep his promise to Joanne to help Caroline in any way he could, but a visit from him hadn’t been permitted. He was almost relieved by her refusal to allow this to happen. It would have been painful for them both. At least via Kath he could still offer whatever help he could.

‘The date for the trial is set for—’ She gave a date in November. ‘As you’re aware, Caroline’s defence will argue that she had no intention of hurting Ailsa, only of remonstrating with her. Her sudden death caused by the fall was an accident. Mitigating circumstances will apply and you will be asked to explain what those were.’ She was watching him closely. ‘The pregnancy and your affair. Are you willing to do that?’