‘Actually, I haven’t.’ Harmony gave her a withering look. ‘I came last night. I’m staying in a B&B in Nighbrook.’

She approached her daughter, her eyes falling on her auburn hair. Morgan was wearing the hotel room dressing gown, pink pyjamas and fluffy socks on her feet. Gone was the girl who was angry with the world.

‘You look well . . . despite everything.’ Harmony’s glance fell in Naomi’s direction, making it clear where she lay the blame.

‘Never mind me,’ Morgan replied, the excitement leaving her voice. ‘Where have you been? On another one of your benders?’

‘No,’ she replied. ‘I’ve been trying to sort stuff out. Stuff that involved you.’ She glanced at Ed and Naomi, a sickly-sweet smile on her face. ‘Do you mind giving us some privacy? I’d like some time with my daughter alone.’

‘We’re not going anywhere.’ A shadow of annoyance crossed Ed’s face. ‘Ach! You turn up here uninvited, without telling anyone where you’ve been . . .’

Morgan stood between them as her father’s voice rose. ‘Dad, it’s OK. I want you and Naomi to stay.’ She turned her gaze to Harmony, her brows raised as she awaited her response.

‘Fine.’ Harmony carried a belligerent expression as she thrust her hands into the pockets of her tracksuit. This was a woman who had never grown up.

Morgan sat on one of the suite armchairs and curled her feet beneath her legs. She pulled the hotel dressing gown around her, as if preparing to weather her mother’s next storm. Ed and Naomi sat as Harmony took centre stage.

‘It’s about Joel,’ she said, her features grim. ‘I could do with a ciggy right now,’ she mumbled beneath her breath, and she was met by her daughter’s warning glare. Judging from the bitter smell of cannabis rising from her clothes, it was more than a cigarette she craved. ‘I don’t know how to say this . . .’ She shifted from one foot to the other. ‘I’m to blame for Taz. I set the profile up.’

Naomi rolled her eyes at the admission. Of course. This was a woman who had stalked her own husband. She expected nothing less of her.

‘Eww, Mum, that’s gross!’ Morgan recoiled.

‘I did it out of love,’ Harmony blurted. ‘Just so I could see how you were!’

But Morgan’s hand was clasped to her mouth. She spoke through her fingers. ‘All that stuff you said about us being together . . .’

‘That wasn’t me. Joel had taken over by then,’ Harmony said. Her tone was sharp as she began to lose patience.

Morgan had already filled Ed in on how Joel had masqueraded as Taz, but the fact that Harmony had set up the account to begin with came as an unwelcome surprise.