‘It’s beautiful.’ Naomi cleared her throat. ‘I didn’t think you knew what Pinterest was.’ Her chest swelled with emotion. A part of her was thrilled to see her plans become a reality. The kitchen and all its gadgets would be perfect for setting up her new baking venture, which would also help her integrate into the community. But she was hit with a sense of mourning for what she had lost. This was the room from which the Harper family were believed to have disappeared. This had been her potential crime scene. She swiped away the tears gathering in her eyes. Tradesmen had destroyed every shred of evidence that had lain dormant over the years. ‘What have they done with the old kitchen? I didn’t see any skips on the way in.’ She was grasping at straws.

‘Brought it to the nearest dump, of course! What do you think they’d do with it?’ Ed laughed, clearly enjoying her reaction. ‘Morgan helped,’ he continued. This was him, in his element – receiving joy from making other people happy.

‘Morgan?’ Naomi quipped. ‘I don’t believe you.’ The words left her mouth before she could stop them. She slid her arm around Ed’s waist in a gesture of gratitude for all he had done. He didn’t know about her obsession or just how much this house meant to her.

‘Seriously, she showed me how to access Pinterest,’ Ed said, oblivious to her turmoil. ‘I wouldn’t have had a clue otherwise.’

‘Yeah, and you owe me a new laptop.’ Morgan’s voice rose from the doorway. As she stood with her legs crossed, her expression was impossible to read.

‘You didn’t bribe her with a laptop, did you?’ Naomi said, remembering the parenting manuals that warned against such behaviour.

A guilty smile crossed Ed’s lips. ‘She needed it for school.’

Naomi caught the satisfied look on Morgan’s face as she turned and walked away. Had she been helping or manipulating? She would never figure that girl out.

‘You really had me fooled,’ Naomi said, remembering Ed’s expression as the cottage came into view.

‘Got a few acting tips from my buddies.’ He winked as she took in the decor.

Stepping forward, she slid her hand over the swirl of grey and white granite worktop, which was cool to the touch. The original Aga was still in place, but next to it, a sophisticated self-cleaning oven. She opened the drawers, each one containing a gadget that was on her Pinterest wish list. As another drawer rolled on its runner, it revealed a Denby dinner set.

‘This must have cost you a fortune,’ she said. But the look on her husband’s face relayed that she was worth it. ‘How did you know the kitchen needed renovating?’ she asked, wondering if he was aware of the house’s history after all.