‘Would it be so bad if we had to sell up? Downsize?’

‘Steph, I’ve been over this again and again.’ His words dripped with exasperation. Marie could almost picture him running his hand over his scalp, bristling the ginger hair he kept almost shaved as though he was ashamed of it, despite the fact he claimed he loved the colour on her and Leah. ‘We’ll be bankrupt. The business I’ve spent years building up will be gone. We’ll have nothing. We’ll be nothing. What will people think?’

‘Does it matter? If we’re together.’

‘Who says we’ll be together? It will put a huge strain on us living in some council house, relying on benefits—’

‘It’s not that bad—’

‘You can’t tell me you were happier when you and Carly were living hand-to-mouth? Don’t tell me you don’t love the holidays, the shopping. You bloody do enough of it. Carly won’t remember living like that. You’ll be sending her back to a life she’ll feel she doesn’t belong in. She’ll resent you.’

‘But the twins are young, they’ll—’

‘Who’s to say I’ll let Leah and Marie live in some hovel? They’ll stay with me. I’ve friends—’

‘So where are they now? These friends? Anyway, why couldn’t me and Carly come?’

‘It’s a big ask to expect someone to house five extra people, three is a push. And that’s without the bloody dog. He’d have to go to the shelter, of course.’

‘I can’t believe you’re even considering us living apart.’

‘That’s the last thing I want. I love you all. I know you don’t want to go back to where you and Carly came from. I’m doing my utmost to prevent that.’

‘The thought of us separating shouldn’t even have crossed your mind. We’re a family.’

There was a pause. Marie’s fingers slipped from the handle. Her palm was damp. She wiped it on her pyjama top. Panic made her feel all funny and light-headed. She didn’t understand half of the conversation but she grasped her dad was saying he might take her and Leah away. What was he talking about? Carly and Mum living in a different house to him and Marie and Leah. Would that just be the start? Would Marie be sent somewhere else? She’d played orphan Annie on stage and it was fun, but didn’t want to end up in a care home eating cold mush with somebody like Miss Hannigan looking after her.

‘Tell me again,’ her mum said.

‘With the right media coverage, missing children can attract a lot of attention. More and more people are using the internet. You’re always on that Friends Reunited. There are sites where we can place digital appeals to ask for money.’

‘But surely that money can’t come directly to us? It must be allocated to—’

‘That’s where Stuart would come in. I’d move him over from the business to focus on creating a campaign, both online and through newspapers. Getting people to invest their cash is what he excels at.’