‘I don’t believe you. You’re a filthy liar. You won’t rest until I’m out of my mind.’

‘You are already out of your mind!’ Rosa hissed. The raven lay in pieces at her feet and its broken clockwork suddenly reminded her of Cookie, which, in turn, reminded her of the beloved dogs that she and James had owned together in that other life where she had been loved and happy. She tried to block the memories, but they swept in anyway.

She recalled lying in bed with James, her head resting upon his shoulder, basking in lazy contentment. And she remembered exploring the jungles of Malaysia, and drinking coffee in Venice, and celebrating their son’s fourth birthday, and how they had both wept when the first dog they had owned together eventually grew old and died. But in this life she had only broken clockwork, and a useless title, and a husband who loathed her almost as much as she hated him. When she thought what she might have had in that other life, it was simply unbearable, and was only made worse by the fact that she had chosen this. What a fool she had been.

‘You contemptible creature!’ Rosa said, looking at Eustace. ‘How I wish Beatrice had married you rather than leaving you for me to suffer.’

She was pleased that her words made him flinch, even as the look in his eyes appalled her.

‘Sometimes,’ he said in a quiet voice, ‘I think you must want me to hurt you.’

He stepped forward with a sudden look of determination, and the cane twitched in his hand. Rosa stepped back, suddenly afraid. But whatever Eustace had been about to do, he broke off with a cry as one of the black apple trees struck him across the face, its thin branch lashing out as quick and vicious as a whip. The skin of his cheek opened up in a long gash as he reeled back, staggering to keep his footing in the snow.

‘What is g-going on?’ a sharp voice asked.

Rosa looked round and saw that Beatrice had appeared on the path, wrapped up in her winter cloak. For a strange moment, Rosa thought she saw the glittering outline of a big cat standing at her side, starlight stripes shining in the dark, but when she blinked it was gone. How long had Beatrice been there and how much had she seen? Rosa tried to summon up some quick explanation, but her tongue seemed frozen in her mouth, and her body fizzed with a sickening mix of adrenaline and shame. Had Eustace really been about to strike her with that cane? Surely he would not go so far as that? Even during the darkest nights at Raven Hall, he had never once hurt her in that way.

It is all right, Rosa thought. I know Eustace and I’m in control. I am in control.