It was like Kim’s Game, the memory game she’d played as a child. Rosalind scanned the shelves, trying to figure out what wasn’t there. Because there was something missing, but what?

The dolls from the dollhouse. Letty’s hat. The magnifying glass. Her awards. The poison bottle—

The poison bottle. That macabre gift from a fan to Letty – actual poison in a skull and crossbones labelled bottle. Like the one in the hand of the doll she’d found downstairs.

Where was it? Caro had brought it back when she returned the magnifying glass, hadn’t she?

Which meant someone else had taken it again.

She needed to get back downstairs, to tell Caro and Posy. Warn them. Warn Larch, as well, so his officers could protect people—

Hugh’s arms tightened, and he pulled his head back from where it rested on her shoulder to look her in the eye, his chin dipping as he lowered his mouth to hers.

And as she kissed him, she forced herself to focus on what she knew.

Hugh had been talking to Clementine in the Murder Spiral before her death. Clementine worked for Marcus, who was blackmailing Hugh. Marcus, who had to die. Clementine knew everyone’s secrets.

And Isobel thought Hugh was having an affair with her. Was she right?

It was a story that made too much sense in Rosalind’s head. She could see it playing out in the movie theatre of her mind.

She didn’t want to watch the ending.

Rosalind broke the kiss and pulled away.

‘Isobel is worried, you know. She asked me to talk to you.’

That seemed to surprise him. ‘Isobel asked you to talk to me?’

‘Because of how long we’ve been friends.’ Rosalind thought about mentioning Isobel’s money worries, but if she got him riled up about the finances, she might never get to ask the more important questions. She took a breath, and dove in. ‘She thinks you were having an affair with Clementine.’

‘Well, you know she’s wrong about that.’ He gave her a knowing, secret look. The same look he used to give her across the dining table, their spouses oblivious to what it meant. Meet me, later.

Except now it meant something else. It meant I know your secrets too, remember. Bring me down, we both go.

She fought to remain calm in spite of the shiver crawling the length of her spine.

‘Do I?’

‘You really think I was having an affair?’ Hugh asked, incredulously. ‘When would I have time for something like that? Between you and Isobel, I have plenty of women on my hands, thank you very much.’

‘You wouldn’t be the first man to want something younger, prettier, at your stage in life.’