The other painting she’d done during her visit, the more personal one, was leaning against the wall in her mother’s bedroom. There had been no end of possible subjects for the canvas, but she’d known right from the beginning what she wanted to do and when she’d finally shown it to Sean she’d been reassured by his response.

“Oakwood,” he’d breathed, gazing at the painting of the sun setting over the cottage. “It’s perfect.”

Liza hoped her mother would think so too.

And now they were heading back to London.

Sean took her hand. “Are you sad to be leaving?”

Liza glanced back at Oakwood Cottage. It had provided her with a sanctuary when she’d needed it the most. “We’ll be back very soon. I’ve missed the girls.”

They’d had a long chat the day before, and Liza had been honest about the way she felt. It hadn’t been an easy conversation for her, but the girls were obviously so shaken by that article they’d found, and by the thought that their parents’ marriage might be in trouble, that they were reflective and apologetic.

“You do so much,” Caitlin had said in a subdued tone, “and I’m sorry I didn’t notice or say thank you more. I’m going to do better.”

“A thank-you would be appreciated,” Liza had replied, “but mostly I need you to start taking more responsibility.”

“I will. We will.”

Alice had agreed, and Liza had to admit that on the whole the conversation had gone better than she’d hoped. Whether or not it would last remained to be seen.

“If we’re home late afternoon, I’ll be able to call my mother before they set off for the day.” Liza fastened her seat belt. “It’s weird, isn’t it? You don’t expect your relationship with a parent to change this late in life. I assumed that we’d never be close.” But she and her mother had talked about everything and anything. All the barriers that had kept them separate had vanished.

“I’m pleased for you. Funny to think Kathleen had so much going on in her past. What a life she has led.”

Liza waved a mental goodbye to Oakwood as Sean pulled out of the drive. “I’ve been wondering what her life would have looked like if she’d married Adam.”

“We can all play that game. If I hadn’t met you on the beach that summer, where would I be now? If you hadn’t left and woken us all up, what would have happened to our family?”

“I didn’t leave, Sean.”

“Sorry—you came to ‘feed the cat’.” He glanced at her and smiled. “You do know that from now on all you have to do is threaten to go and ‘feed the cat’ and I’ll be booking dinner tables and buying you elaborate gifts.”