‘Then let me help you out. You got disorientated. You saw something, most likely a deer, or one of the horses that strayed out of the village.’ He pushed his notebook back into his pocket. ‘You panicked, ran, fell and hit your head. At some point you managed to get yourself into the hut and passed out shortly afterwards.’

‘Maybe . . .’ Morgan murmured, breaking their gaze.

‘No, there’s no maybe about it.’ Naomi’s voice rose. ‘If my stepdaughter says there was someone there then that’s how it played out.’

‘Hang on—’ Lloyd raised a finger.

Naomi talked over him as she rose to her feet. ‘You’ve been funny with us since we got here. Why didn’t you take her straight to the hospital? What are you hiding?’ She looked from him to Joanne, her voice frayed with nerves. But she wouldn’t get any kind of kinship from Joanne, who bowed her head.

Taking a slow step forward, Lloyd stared Naomi down. The atmosphere between them crackled. Joanne began to wring her hands.

‘I’ll tell you what’s going on.’ Lloyd’s lips peeled back from his teeth. ‘I’m sparing your stepdaughter from being the talk of the village. Gossip like that sticks.’

‘What gossip?’ Naomi’s face was flushed now, and she drew a hand over her hair.

‘That Morgan’s real mother is a junkie,’ Lloyd countered. ‘And her stepmother was too busy with the local handyman to notice that she didn’t come home last night.’

Naomi stared, dumbfounded. But Lloyd wasn’t going to stop there. ‘John was seen leaving here this morning. Everyone knows your husband is away.’

‘You’re kidding me,’ she blurted with a laugh. ‘This is a joke, right?’

‘It’s far from funny, Mrs Ward,’ Lloyd continued. ‘John’s quite a hit with the ladies in these parts. Besides, I’m doing you a favour, you don’t want Social Services poking around.’

‘Social Services?’ Naomi repeated. ‘This is bullshit!’ She looked to Joanne for a second time, but she knew better than to speak. ‘My stepdaughter was in danger because someone followed her into the woods.’

Ignoring her outburst, Lloyd turned to his wife. ‘Why don’t you go home,’ he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. ‘I’m heading back to work soon.’

Joanne responded with a nod before turning to Morgan, who was watching them both. ‘Stay warm, poppet. Keep yourself hydrated. I’ll come by tomorrow to check on you.’

‘No need.’ Naomi raised her hand. ‘I’m perfectly capable of looking after her.’

But Joanne gave her a look to say she thought otherwise, before zipping up her jacket and walking out of the room. Naomi saw her out, leaving Lloyd with Morgan for just seconds while she closed the front door behind her.