She fetched the vacuum cleaner and sucked up the dust and cobwebs, having to pause to empty the cleaner halfway through. Then she began transforming the boarded walls into a pleasingly gentle white with long even brush strokes that left her mind free to wander to Daisy, who’d already texted: coming home on bus. Perhaps taking her to school hadn’t been a good idea. Instead of the car providing a cosy, friendly atmosphere, as it had when they’d gone Christmas bauble shopping at the weekend, it had made Daisy suspicious and subdued.

Probably it was as well she’d never had kids of her own if that was the best she could do.

Coasting over the pain that came with that thought, Laurel climbed up on a stool to reach the high bits. She worked all morning and into the afternoon, remembering her mum painting in the same room and realising that now she’d gone through the pain of postponing her other plans, she might enjoy working here. She’d frame a couple of Isla’s paintings for the studio as well as for Daisy’s room and ask Rea if she’d like some to keep her company in the office.

By the time she’d finished one coat of emulsion she was ready for a break. She didn’t need to push herself too hard. It wasn’t every week you left your marital home and returned to your childhood village, immediately falling over the reasons you left. An uncomfortable feeling squeezed her stomach.

For nineteen years she’d lived with a horrible experience but, apart from lingering trust issues, she had learned not to be defined by it. She’d set herself free. OK, certain situations gave her a nervy feeling but she’d thought herself way past the awful, frustrated, destructive thirst for revenge she’d once had. Yet in the past two days she’d deliberately made Mac Cassidy uncomfortable. And that was revenge. He looked like a pillar of the community these days and was a family man but … yeah. She was finding it hard to let him off the hook.

No. She couldn’t let herself be dragged back into the past. She was needed in the present.

She stuck the lid back on the emulsion and hurried indoors. Rea was mid-call and it was half past two so had probably eaten lunch already. Laurel ate a sandwich then pulled on her coat against the keen, blustery wind and set out to stride around the village.