ROB

I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT when it arrived. Even though I had the letter open in my hand, it was almost impossible to grasp what it was.

She had written to me. It had been so long, I had given up hope of ever hearing from her again, no amount of money had helped in tracking her down. She just seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth.

Since she'd gone a lot had changed. I'd stepped down from running the company, finding it impossible to concentrate. Luckily Anthony had stepped into the breach, allowing me to fade into the background. I still felt guilty about what had happened to him. Through not fault of his own, he'd been assaulted, tortured, and then tied up in the boot of a car. It was one more thing to feel bad about.

He was doing a fine job, just as I knew he would. The trauma seemed to have no lasting effect on him and he was as focussed as ever. It meant I could spend my time at home. I didn't go back to the cottage after the police had finished there. I couldn't think about it without thinking of him impaled on the railing.

I'd seen a man die. I'd helped put another one in prison. The trial of Edward Lewis had been brief, the testimony of Anthony and the forensic evidence in the car more than enough to convict him of the murder of Harry and kidnapping Anthony despite his strong denial. He went down and I should have been grateful but instead I just felt pity for him. He knew only violence and it had ruined not just his life but also the lives of those around him.

He wasn't in prison anymore. He was buried next to his son. Two months into his sentence, he'd died of a heart attack. I didn't weep over his death. I wept to think that Hope was safe but she still didn't know. There was no way of telling her she could come back, that it was all over.

I tried my best to get over her but it wasn't something that I think was meant to happen.

I was meant to be with her. The longer time passed, the more I felt certain of that fact. Despite what had happened, despite the fact that she'd left without even saying goodbye, I knew that we were supposed to be together. Our meeting had to be more than chance, than mere coincidence.

I'd never felt that way about anyone before and it broke my heart to think that there was nothing I could do about it. I’d hired countless people to track her down but none of them managed anything. In the end I gave up hope as I tried to give up Hope. I tried to let her go, turning inward, feeling sadder with each passing day.

I went over so many shoulda woulda coulda points in my head. I should have told her I knew about the baby, I should have made her stay, I should have called the police and sent them to the cottage, I should have had a better phone.

It was too late for any of it. I went out less and thought more, becoming angry with the world that had taken her from me.

When the letter came, I'd so long given up hope of hearing from her that I was sure I was dreaming. It took Potter slapping me across the face at my insistence to make me realise I was awake. The letter was real. She'd written to me. I held the letter in trembling fingers, each word a reminder of the woman I missed with all my heart.

I knew she must have had her baby. I often wondered what it was like, whether it was a boy or a girl. The letter didn't mention the child.

I held it in my hands and read through it again.

Dear Rob,

I borrowed forty pounds when I went. I enclose it for you. I noticed you changed the name of the company. I like the new name. Take care of yourself, whatever you're doing.

All my love,

Hope

I read it and reread, looking at each swirling letter, picturing her writing it. Had she seen an article about me somewhere, that Davies Inc. had become Faith and Hope Inc. I hoped she'd smiled when she saw I'd named it after her. I remembered vividly the conversation we'd had about families, about how she wanted to call her daughter Faith. Even though I was trying to work out what the hell to do about Edward at the time, I never forgot what she said.

I wanted to tell her I knew about the pregnancy, that I would support her through it. But I couldn't work out the words until it was too late and she was gone.

I folded the letter up a long time later, sliding it back into the envelope. I looked at the cover, seeing my name in her handwriting. Then I noticed the stamp, half covered in ink from the postmark. Squinting, I looked closer at the postmark. It couldn't be that simple, could it?

I picked up my phone and dialled, waiting for an answer.

"Rob?" Annie said, sounding surprised. "It's been a long time. How are you?"

"I think I need a holiday," I replied. "I think I might go away for a while."

"Okay, what do you need me to do?"

"Free up the helicopter. Tell me when it's ready."

"How far are you going?" she asked.

"Scotland," I replied, looking at the postmark on the envelope again. "An island in Scotland."