Liam dropped her hand and moved to stand behind her, slipping his arm around her waist and positioning her so they were directly facing the farm. ‘I know the memories are bad, but the evil is no longer there. It’s just bricks and mortar.’

His mouth was close to her ear, the warmth of his breath caressing her neck as he spoke.

‘I know that. And they’re not all terrible. There are ones from before too. I can hear the others. Their laughter as they’re cycling past us. Is that odd?’

‘Not at all. You’re back in a place that’s evoking a strong reaction.’

‘I’m going to conquer this.’ Hannah spoke with more conviction than she felt. ‘I won’t let that witch define me.’

For too long, she had given into the fear of returning here. Just the thought making her heart start racing and breathing difficult. Although the nerves still churned, there was a newer steely determination behind them.

‘I have been bitter about what happened for so long. It’s time to let it go.’

Liam was silent as he considered her words, but he didn’t move his arm, and Hannah sank back into him, drawing extra strength from the steadiness of his heartbeat and his rhythmic breathing. On the ground in front of them, Tank yawned and whined a little, letting them know of his dissatisfaction at the hold-up.

‘I know how easy it is to hold on to bitter memories,’ Liam said eventually.

‘You do?’

‘I don’t have the easiest relationship with my mother. She’s been absent for a lot of my life.’

‘She has?’

Was he actually opening up and revealing something personal to her? Hannah held her breath, waiting for him to continue.

‘When you’re young, you look up to your parents and you think they will always be there to protect you.’ Liam gave a harsh laugh. ‘After my mum went away, I realised it was all a lie. I struggled with that for a while. But then I realised that if I didn’t want it to destroy my life, I had to find a way past it.’

Hannah took a moment to process that. He seemed so confident, so self-assured, and it was hard to imagine him as this hurt and unloved little boy.

‘And did you?’ she asked quietly. ‘Did you find a way past it?’

‘She’s back in my life now. We’re never going to have a typical mother-son relationship, I will never forget what she did, but she’s my flesh and blood. The tables have turned and she needs me now more than I need her. I’ve tried to be a better son to her than she was a mother to me.’

‘And is that working?’