Eleri called me yesterday; she’d just returned to the UK from her European tour. “Please say you’ll come to lunch tomorrow. I’m longing to see you.”

I’d been missing Daniel and Ben so much, as had Becca. She’d been nagging me to go back to Northamptonshire early. I wouldn’t have considered it if it wasn’t for the fact that Josh’s parents had both come down with the flu. We hadn’t even been to see them for a couple of days; they didn’t want us to catch it off them.

The idea occurred to me that we could surprise Daniel and Ben. My parents didn’t mind us cutting our visit short by a few days. Mum said she ‘understood’ and gave me a knowing look. They’d been good about not pressing me for information about Daniel, fair play, but I felt relieved about not having to keep my feelings hidden from them much longer.

Last night, on the phone, I’d said to Daniel we’d be ‘playing’ in three days and I hadn’t lied; we don’t ‘play’ on the weekends when the kids are around. But just the thought of seeing him any minute now is making my heart beat like a drum.

I pull up in front of the cottages.

Daniel’s car isn’t there.

Crap!

I scan the drive to be sure, but it’s definitely not there.

All I can see is Eric’s Audi parked to the side.

Becca unclips her seat-belt. “Can I go find Ben?”

“I’ll come with you, poppet.” I swing my legs from the car.

Maybe Daniel’s car is in the garage for servicing?

I take Becca’s hand.

Leaving Toby in the garden to do his business, we walk up to Daniel’s front door.

Eric lets us in with a smile that doesn’t come close to lighting his pale eyes. “Eleri called by and said you were arriving.” His voice is smarmy. “She’s invited Ben and me for lunch at Aldridge House as well.”

My bestie and her damn match-making. I remember her insinuating I had the hots for Eric.

As if!

Just looking at that man makes my flesh crawl.

“Catrin!” Ben runs up to me and puts his arms around my legs. “Daddy has gone to London.”

Strange he didn’t mention it to me last night.

But I didn’t tell him I was coming back, either.

I lower myself to Ben’s height and give him a hug. Becca squirms her way between us. “I want a hug too.”

Eric towers over us and checks his watch. “Perhaps you should go and get ready?” He stares down at my scruffy jeans. “Eleri wants us there at one.”

* * *

Becca and I go and freshen up. I change into a tunic dress and leggings, then put on some lip gloss and mascara. I brush my daughter’s hair and braid her tangled ginger curls.

“Can I have some lip gloss, too, Mum?” she pleads.

I smile my agreement and hand over the tube.

Toby bounds up, whining and thumping his tail against my legs. “We’ll take you for a walk this afternoon, boy,” I tell him, scratching the rough fur behind his ears.

He flops down on the floor with heavy, disappointed eyes.

Eric is already waiting for us in his car as we step outside. Becca gets into the back with Ben, and I ride shot gun. I keep my eyes fixed on the road ahead while Eric speeds towards Aldridge House.

Why is he in such a damn hurry?

Before I can even ask him to slow down, Eric is already parking in the courtyard, opposite the oak front door. We get out of the car, and gravel crunches under our feet as we make our way towards the house.

Eleri ushers us in and gives me a hug. “We’re eating in the kitchen,” she says with a smile. “Gabe and Luke are at a meeting with the estate manager. They’ve taken Matt with them.” She beams at Eric. “I hope you don’t mind.”

I notice a slight look of annoyance in his expression, and then it’s gone.

* * *

After lunch, during which we were mostly occupied with the kids, we go through to the living room for coffee while Rosie takes Becca and the rest of the group upstairs to the playroom.

Eleri sits Eric between herself and me on the sofa and starts to chat. I’ve got to hand it to her; she’s trying her hardest to get us to like each other.

“Catrin loves gardening. Do you like gardening, Eric?” she turns and flutters her eyelashes at him.

“Can’t stand gardening,” he grunts. “I’m a city boy. Always lived in flats.”

“What are your interests in music?” she tries again.

He admits to liking electronic dance. I catch Eleri’s look of disgust and giggle to myself. She sings soul; we both loved it as teens and were never into electronic. I hope she realises there isn’t a chance in hell Eric could even feature on my remotest radar.

His pale blue eyes are starting to give me the creeps.

I surreptitiously check the time. Maybe I can explain I should go back home and do some work? I’ve been neglecting my clients all week…

Suddenly the door bursts open, and Rosie erupts into the room. “Sorry,” she gasps, “but I need your help. The children have been playing hide and seek, but we can’t find Ben and Becca anywhere.”

I clutch my arms to my chest and let out a gasp. Then I tell myself I don’t need to worry. They’ve hidden before, they’re good at it, but we’ve always found them.

“They can’t have gone far.” Eleri puts down her coffee cup. “I know it’s a big house, but they’ll still be inside.”

We get to our feet, ready to start searching. Luke and Gabe appear with their eldest son, Matt, and we fill them in on what’s happened.

“They’ll be hiding in one of the storerooms, I expect,” Luke grins. “Little tykes.”

Eric rubs his hands together. “Let’s fan out and take a different area each. We can meet back here if one of us comes across them.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I say.

I search for what seems like ages, running through so many rooms calling their names that I lose count. Eventually, I find myself in the picture gallery on the first floor of the west wing. I stop, my breathing ragged.

I can hear the echoes of the other kids’ voices shouting for Ben and Becca.

They should have been found by now.

Fear clutches at my heart.

Something is seriously wrong.

I bump into Eleri, Gabe and Luke as I leave the room. “I wish Toby was here; he’d sniff them out in no time.” My voice has gone shaky.

The minutes tick by and we keep looking.

Where the hell are they?

Then Rosie rushes up to us. “Eric’s gone!”

We ask her what she means, and she says his car has disappeared from the courtyard.

“Maybe he’s driving around the grounds looking for them?” Eleri suggests.

“I’ll go and take a look.” Keep calm and carry on is his archetypical motto.

“I’ll come with you,” Luke says to him firmly.

Eleri and I sit and wait for what seems like hours. She tries to keep me positive. “We’ll find them,” she says, squeezing my fingers.

Sudden footsteps sound in the hall outside.

My heart hammers in my chest.

The door flies open.

Gabe and Luke pace across the room.

“There’s no sign of the kids. And no sign of Eric, either.” Luke runs a jerky hand through his hair. “We even checked the cottages. No one there except your dog.”

A cold shiver runs all the way down my spine. “Do you think Eric has found them and taken them somewhere?” I speak the words that have been whirling through my mind ever since he disappeared.

“I can’t think of any other explanation.” Gabe’s face has gone ashen.

I grab my phone.

A sob strangles in my throat as I key in Daniel’s number.

“You need to come home.” My fingers tremble.