‘Yes. No one was up when you left the house.’

‘You were.’ I step back.

‘Yes, but I was waiting.’

I think about his room. It overlooks the bay. He must have seen Allan leave.

‘Why?’

‘Because it’s my job. And now we need to get you back into the house without anyone else seeing or hearing you.’

I nod then turn and look behind me.

‘There’s nothing more that can be done tonight, just know that you have done the right thing.’

I cry out. ‘Murder is never right.’

‘It wasn’t murder. It was manslaughter at a push – if that. He was a traitor to your country, he was a traitor to you and he risked Diana’s safety.’

‘No, he didn’t do that.’

‘Yes, he did.’

‘No, I did that, using her as a cover.’ I push a strand of hair away from my neck. The diamonds catch my fingers. I want them off. If George hadn’t been standing with me, I would have ripped the necklace off and thrown it down the cliff with Allan.

‘This is bigger than you or Allan or me or even Diana.’

He leads me through the garden gate and then waits in the shadows until I am in the kitchen. I remove my plimsoles and wipe them clean then lift my dress. The bottom is sodden and heavy. Holding it high, I climb up the back stairs on tiptoes and continue along the passageway to the front of the house, hoping that no one is on their way to the loo.

Once in my room with the door closed, I lean against it and look at the empty bed. Sliding to the floor, all I can think is that I’ve killed my husband and it was so easy.

70. Lottie

70

Lottie

5 August 2018, 5.00 a.m.

Lottie paced the kitchen. She’d had no sleep, just tossing and turning while her mind circled. Why did Gran have to say anything? Why did she do it? According to Mrs Hoskine, they were the perfect family. But what did that mean? Perfect meant different things. In the case of a gemstone it would mean near flawless. But to her, those stones were the ones of the least interest. She preferred ones that had inclusions showing the stones’ history, what forces had shaped them.

She stopped pacing. Why would her mother think she was at fault? What had Gran said? She did it to save Diana. She raced upstairs to the diary.

The man leaned forward and kissed Daddy. Daddy didn’t pull away but looked around again.

Allan was gay or bi. This was 1962. Homosexuality was illegal then. Lottie read on.

Morning.