She’d chosen to sleep in the bedroom she’d used as a child rather than the bigger guest room that she and Sean occupied on their visits. Why had she done that? Perhaps because it was a way of winding back time to the life she’d been living before this one. The person she’d been before the woman she was now.

The oversize map of the world was still stuck to the wall, complete with the markings she’d made with her father. Gathering dust on the shelves were all her old books, favorites that she’d never part with. Usually they were held in place by the art award she’d won at school, but that seemed to be missing.

Her mother must have stowed it away somewhere.

Feeling ridiculously disappointed that her untidy mother would choose to tidy up that particular item, she walked to the window and gazed out over the fields to the sea. This had been her view every day when she was growing up.

The sun blazed and she could feel the heat pumping into the room even though it was still early. It was going to be a scorcher.

She undressed, put her clothes in the laundry hamper and took a long shower.

Wrapped in a towel, she unzipped the bag she’d packed. She’d randomly pushed various things into the space without giving real thought to what she was going to wear.

Why on earth had she packed that shirt? She hated it.

Every item she pulled out of the bag reminded her of home and the life she wasn’t sure she liked that much. And there was nothing suitable for relaxed outdoor living during a heat wave.

In the end she picked out a fitted white shirt with shell buttons, a pair of cropped linen trousers, and stuffed everything else back in the bag. She zipped it up and stowed it under the bed.

It wasn’t only her life that needed an overhaul—her wardrobe did too.

Maybe she’d pay a visit to the boutique in the village later.

Only when she’d dried her hair did she finally switch on her phone.

She had several missed calls from Sean, and before she could decide what she was going to do about that, he called again.

She picked up, not sure what to expect from the conversation. “Hi.”

“Liza? Thank goodness. I’ve been worried sick about you.” The tone of his voice and the faint crackle told her he was calling her from the car.

“Why would you be worried about me?”

“Because you took off with no warning! I had no idea you were intending to go to Cornwall this weekend. And I feel—” The phone went dead.

“Hello?” She checked the screen to see if they were still connected. “Sean?”

“Yes. Are you there?”