‘It’s lucky you’ve caught me on a quiet week,’ Shay said as he and Harper walked the sheds behind the animal pens.

‘As it’s in between school holidays, I’m hoping I’ll have a quiet week too and I might not need you so much.’

‘Are you saying I can’t do the job?’ he asked with a sideways look.

‘I’m saying you have your own business to look after,’ she replied, laughing. ‘But I appreciate your pitching in for a few days here. I should manage if you can see to the animals for me and perhaps just do a bit of fetching and carrying from time to time.’

‘You don’t want my tea-making services then?’

‘I’ve tasted your tea, so no.’

‘Rude.’ Shay grinned, and despite her misgivings, Harper couldn’t help but give him one in return. ‘There is one advantage of us having the place to ourselves for the next few days…’ He moved closer and planted a passionate kiss on her lips. ‘That’s if you’re not too tired at the end of the day.’

‘If you help out, I’m sure I can manage to stay awake for an hour or so after bedtime.’ Harper smiled up at him. He kissed her again, and she felt him stiffen against her. ‘Not now, naughty boy,’ she said, her voice a teasing lilt that had him groaning with frustration.

‘In that case, I’ll be a whirlwind of activity today so you’ll be nice and relaxed later.’

‘Is that all you think about?’

‘When I’m around you, yes.’

Harper reached up to kiss him lightly, and then tapped her palm against his cheek. ‘Come on then, Casanova, we’d better get on with this briefing or we’ll never get Pip away for her trip.’

‘She might not stay away that long,’ he said as Harper opened a steel box to show him where the pellets of chicken feed were kept. ‘How do you think it will play out?’

‘I don’t know. I’m not even sure it’s the right thing for her to do, actually. I mean, I know I told her to go and see Esther, and I want it to work out but… I don’t know if they can ever get back to how they were before. The way I see it, though, Pip will always regret not giving it a shot. That’s why I told her to go. I hope, in the nicest possible way, that she’s gone for ages, because that will mean things are working out for them.’

‘In the end, it would be the best eventuality for everyone.’

Harper turned to him, wiping a hand down her overalls. ‘Meaning?’

‘Well, you’ve been stressing about where she’s going to live once we’re married. You’ve said it before, you can’t kick her out—’

‘I would never kick her out.’

‘I know; that’s what I meant. But we need privacy as man and wife.’

‘Husband and wife,’ Harper corrected.

‘Yeah, sure. But if she gets back together with her girlfriend then I guess she’ll want to live near her.’

Harper was silent for a moment. ‘Stay in London you mean?’ She opened the shed door for him and they emerged out into the farmyard, the morning’s drizzle kissing their faces.

‘Is that where Esther is planning to stay?’

‘I don’t know. It’s where she is now and she’s looking for work there.’

‘Would you be OK with that?’

‘I suppose I’d have to be. It’d be weird not having her here. I’d have to take on someone else too. A trainee might be pricey for a while and I might even need two people to do the work she does.’

‘All the more reason to keep an eye on that claim,’ he said, rubbing the nose of Terence the goat, who’d come to sniff at him.

‘I’m not pinning my hopes on something that might not happen.’

‘Frampton doesn’t have a leg to stand on and he knows it. That’s why he came to see you, hoping to appeal to your better nature. But it’s as good as ours.’

‘Cesca seems to be pretty thorough about these things. She’s investigating every possibility that the stuff might belong to Will after all.’

‘So you have good reason to feel confident, then. If she says we’re entitled you don’t need to feel guilty about that because she’ll have done her homework.’ He paused. ‘No ideas about sharing it or anything,’ he added.

‘We should get back inside,’ Harper said, feeling the need to change the subject. Every time Shay mentioned the gold she felt an urge to talk about something else. It was getting to the point where it was all they talked about, and for her, life held far more pressing issues – like the future happiness of her best friend.

As they closed the gates of the farmyard behind them and walked around to the driveway of the house itself, Pip was loading her suitcase into the back of her car.

‘Nearly ready?’ Shay asked cheerfully.

‘Nearly,’ Pip replied. She looked pale and tired. Harper had heard her get up and move around downstairs in the kitchen at least three times the previous night, and that was just the times she’d made enough noise to wake her. She guessed that the true extent of Pip’s restlessness might have been much worse.

‘Are you sure you’re going to be OK driving?’ Harper asked.

‘Yes, yes… stop worrying,’ Pip said. ‘If I feel tired, I’ll stop off somewhere – promise.’

‘You’d better,’ Harper said. ‘And you need to phone me when you get there.’

‘Maybe not straight away,’ Pip said with a small smile.

‘When you get a minute,’ Harper said, returning it. ‘I know your mind will be elsewhere but I just want to know you’re OK.’

‘I know. Thanks.’ Pip reached to hug her. Harper held on tight, tears stinging her eyes. But she couldn’t let Pip see them, and she sniffed them back as hard as she could, trying desperately to think of anything other than the chasm that was about to open up between them. They’d been best friends for at least ten years (though she’d lost count), had weathered everything life had thrown at them together: when Pip had come out, when Esther had left, when Harper’s parents had died within six months of each other, when she’d needed all her courage to leave a psychologically abusive relationship, when they’d both decided to take a chance and start new lives on a farm out in the country. It was going to be strange and lonely without her. Pip said she’d be back, but there was a small voice in Harper’s head that warned her she might not. She might be back to collect belongings, to help arrange a replacement for her to work at the farm, but back as they once were? Things had already been changing faster than they could keep up with – Harper’s marriage to Shay would cement that. Harper couldn’t deny that perhaps it was time to let Pip go whatever happened with Esther. She just didn’t know that she was ready yet.

Harper took a deep breath and pulled herself gently from Pip’s arms. ‘You’d better get going,’ she said, forcing a carefree smile. ‘You don’t want to hit the traffic.’

Shay wandered over and slung an arm around Harper. ‘Safe journey,’ he said, nodding at Pip.

‘You’ll take good care of Terence for me?’ Pip said, and Shay grinned.

‘As if he was my own goat.’

Pip gave them a watery smile. ‘Right then. I suppose I should be off.’

‘Good luck,’ Harper said, leaning into Shay’s arms as Pip climbed into the driver’s seat.

They stood and watched as she started the engine, and the car pulled slowly away from the drive and disappeared into the tree-lined lane beyond.

---

Cesca looked at her watch again. Ten-fifteen. She’d arranged to pick Kristofer up at eleven-thirty so they could spend an hour up at Silver Hill House, going through some papers with Will Frampton. And she’d chosen that time deliberately because, with luck, they’d be finished just in time for lunch, which she would subtly suggest they took together. They’d had a great time the previous evening, once Harper’s fiancé had left them alone. Nothing romantic, but they’d discussed just about every subject on the planet, from history to philosophy to what books he’d read (which must have been in the thousands). Their meal had been tasty and just what they’d needed after a long day. She’d taken him back to his place, and he’d made coffee, shown her a collection of wildlife photography, a shelf full of his own books and even played Norwegian folk music for her on a traditional fiddle he called a hardingfele. There seemed to be no end to this man’s talents, and Cesca found herself wondering whether he could possibly be for real.

‘Your turn to make coffee,’ Duncan called over from his desk. She turned to see he was poring over some ancient maps.

‘I won’t be having one,’ she said. ‘Though, just because I like you, I’ll get one for you.’

‘You’re not having coffee? Have I walked into some parallel universe?’

‘No,’ Cesca laughed. ‘I’ve got to go out to Cerne Hay.’

Duncan looked up from his work. ‘Again?’

‘I did tell you yesterday.’

‘Did you?’

‘Yes,’ Cesca said, feeling slightly guilty that she hadn’t told him at all.

‘Don’t let our lord and master catch you,’ he said, turning back to his maps. ‘You’ve been out in the field a lot lately and I think he’s starting to suspect you’re out indulging in retail therapy.’

‘If only. If he gave us a pay rise, maybe, but I can’t afford to indulge in retail therapy these days. It’s murder trying to keep that house running since Paolo left.’

‘I thought you were going to move.’

‘I was but… well, I just haven’t got around to it.’

‘You mean you don’t want to let it go because it reminds you of your life with him.’

Cesca paused. A week ago that had been true, but now that she thought about it… she wasn’t sure that was the case any more. Something had changed. Perhaps it was the new focus the Silver Hill case had given her, the new people she’d met, the challenge of solving the mystery. Whatever the reason, her mind had barely turned to Paolo. She supposed that was a good thing, but the idea left her feeling strangely adrift. She’d spent so long clinging to her regrets, blaming him for everything that was wrong with her life, that it felt as if a crutch had been kicked away from her; now she had no choice but to stand on her own two feet and admit that the decisions she took, the path of her life – it was all down to her.

‘I’m going to move soon, actually,’ she said, and the idea, as it left her, was almost as much of a surprise to her as it was to Duncan.

‘Where are you thinking of going?’

‘I don’t know yet. I like Cerne Hay, actually. Maybe village life will suit me.’

Duncan snorted. ‘You? In a tiny village? You’d go mental within a month.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean? I can do calm and tranquil.’

‘You’d be bored – there’s not enough going on for a city girl like you.’

‘Maybe I’ve had enough excitement for one lifetime.’

‘So you’d really move to Cerne Hay?’

‘Maybe. I haven’t decided what I’m doing yet.’

Duncan shook his head slightly and with a chuckle went back to his work.

Cesca glared at him, but she couldn’t stay mad about it. Perhaps he had a point, but she did enjoy her visits to Cerne Hay, and to Silver Hill. Sometimes she felt a pang of envy at the life Harper Woods had. She’d got the professional life she’d always wanted, but her personal circumstances were far from perfect.

‘What time are you going out?’ Duncan asked, head still buried in his maps.

‘I said I’d pick Kristofer up at eleven-thirty.’

‘Ragnar Sex Beard? Again?’

‘Well,’ Cesca said, suddenly feeling defensive and just a tiny bit pathetic. ‘He is helping out and we need to go over what paperwork Will Frampton has at Silver Hill House if he’s going to do anything useful for us.’

Duncan said nothing, and his silence made Cesca feel even more like an idiotic lovesick teenager than she already did.

‘I’ll make that coffee,’ she mumbled as she hurried from the room.

---

Allie took a deep breath before opening the car door. Despite what she’d said and thought about Harper Woods, she had no desire to bring this sort of misery to her doorstep. But Greg had left her with no choice – if she didn’t do it, he would. Allie wasn’t sure whether it was better to hear it from her or from Greg, but he was right about one thing – hearing it from her was the right way, even if it wasn’t the easiest way.

But still she battled a growing nausea as she locked the car and made her way to the glass-walled café of Silver Hill Farm. The timing was hardly ideal – in the middle of a working day – but as Allie didn’t have a phone number, and visiting in the evening ran the risk of Shay being around, she didn’t have a lot of choice over that either. At least Harper’s friend, Pip, would be there to comfort her, which was more than Allie had.

Inside a young woman sat at a table, a toddler on the chair beside her and a baby in her arms. She chatted with Harper, who reached over to stroke the baby’s head before handing the toddler a lollipop. Across the room another family with two children aged around five and seven tucked into ice-cream sundaes, and an elderly couple sat at a table near the counter sipping tea from pretty floral cups. The sky outside was grey and heavy, but inside was all sugar-pastel walls, darling bunting and chalk-painted tables decked in delicate vintage crockery. It all looked so bloody idyllic that, for a fleeting, bitter moment, Allie took pleasure in the thought of wrecking it.

But that person wasn’t her, and to let it in would be to kill the real Allie Wicklow, the optimistic, bright-eyed and hopeful woman who’d made one mistake one lonely night that had spiralled out of control and led her here. The moment she started to embrace this spiteful, resentful side of her nature was the moment there was no going back. She didn’t want that – not for Josh, not even for Greg, and certainly not for herself. There was still hope, she felt sure of it, and she had to fight to keep that hope alive no matter how desperate it all looked.

Before her shaking hand reached the door handle of the café, however, a voice called from across the car park. She turned to see Shay running towards her.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ he asked, glancing anxiously inside to where Harper was engrossed in her conversation with the young mother. Reaching for Allie’s arm, he pulled her round to the shadow of the farm buildings, out of sight. ‘Are you mad?’ he hissed.

‘I’ve got to tell her,’ Allie replied in a dull voice. ‘I’m sorry, but I’ve got to.’

‘I’ve got it under control; she doesn’t ever need to know anything.’

‘Greg will tell her if I don’t.’

Shay’s jaw clenched. ‘I’ll have to have a word with him.’

‘He won’t listen. He’s determined that Harper will be told.’

‘What would be the point? So that two relationships are ruined instead of one?’

‘He’s told me I have to come.’

‘It’ll break her heart. Do you want that?’

Allie shook her head miserably.

‘Then go home.’

‘I can’t. He’ll ask me if I’ve done it and I can’t lie.’

‘Why not?’ Shay asked, his voice hardening. ‘You’ve done a pretty good job in the past.’

Allie’s eyes filled with tears. But they were tears of frustration, not sadness. She was angry at being in this situation, angry at having been taken in by Shay’s empty words and promises, angry that she could have let herself think for one second that this man had cared about her. The only person Shay McArthur cared about was himself. Now she was about to lose everything while he married Harper, gained a farm and a business and lived happily ever after. Whatever decision she made now, Harper was screwed and that would be her fault too.

‘I need to see her,’ Allie repeated, blinking away her tears. She drew a breath and stood straight. ‘I have to tell her – she has a right to know.’

‘What would it achieve? Come on, Allie… for old times’ sake. Don’t do this. I know you don’t really want to put another woman through what you’re going through now.’

‘I’ve told you, she’ll find out either way.’

‘For God’s sake, make something up for Greg!’

‘What should I tell him?’

‘Use your imagination. As long as you make it convincing enough that he doesn’t come snooping around himself.’

He seemed to collect himself and then reached for her and stroked a hair gently to tuck it behind her ear. She shuddered, half driven mad with desire and half appalled by the response his touch elicited in her. Even now, even after all this, he had a strange sort of power over her. She hated and yet wanted him in equal amounts. But this was just the loneliness messing with her brain again, wasn’t it? She had to be strong.

‘Please…’ he whispered. ‘Don’t do this.’

Allie raked her teeth over her bottom lip as she stared at him. Could they get away with this? Would Greg believe her? It would be easier on everyone if she could avoid this horrible meeting with Harper. Perhaps Greg would be content to let things lie if he thought it was all out in the open. She could tell him that Harper had listened but had decided to give Shay another chance. Then everything could go back to normal. At least, some version of it. And Allie wouldn’t have Harper’s misery on her conscience.

‘OK,’ she said finally. ‘I’ll see what I can do.’

‘Good girl,’ Shay said. ‘So I won’t see you here again?’

‘No.’ Allie shook her head. ‘I won’t come again.’ She started to walk away, towards her car, but Shay pulled her back.

‘Not that way; Harper might see you.’ He took her by the elbow and guided her along the side wall of the farm and across the back of the car park. ‘Quick, pull off now before she notices your car.’

Allie frowned, irritated by his actions, even though she could see the logic in them. But she did as she was asked, starting the car and driving off even before she’d put her seatbelt on. But down the lane, she stopped and pulled up at the side of the road, resting her head on the steering wheel as she fought the tears that seemed to be an ever-present threat these days. The cracks had been smoothed over again for now, but how much longer before the wall collapsed?