‘Maybe there was a good reason why neither of them wanted you to know? Who did you meet first? How did the idea of you adapting Henry Winter’s books come about?’ Amelia asks.
I think back to that happy day, when Robin and I shared a crappy basement flat in Notting Hill. We had so little then, but far more than I have now. We were kindred spirits who survived difficult childhoods and were alone in the world until we found each other. Robin always believed in me and my work, no matter what. She believed in me when nobody else did, and was always there whenever I needed her. Always. Without ever wanting anything in return. I feel Amelia staring at me, waiting for an answer.
‘My agent randomly called when I was out of work, saying that Henry Winter had invited me to meet him at his London flat,’ I say, one of my happiest memories obliterated as soon as I do.
‘Is that normal?’
I don’t answer at first. We both know it isn’t. ‘Well, his agent died rather suddenly—’
‘Of what?’
‘I don’t remember… only that it was a shock. His agent was quite young.’
‘Funny how people who came between you and Robin seem to die or disappear.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘She didn’t exactly have many friends.’
She didn’t need them. She had me, and rightly or wrongly, I was all she wanted. But I took it for granted. ‘She didn’t have a problem making friends,’ I say, aware that I am now defending my ex-wife. ‘Everyone liked Robin. She just rarely liked them back. She became quite friendly with October O’Brien when we were working together.’
‘October died. There is a drawer full of newspaper cuttings about her in the kitchen.’
‘You can’t seriously think that… it was suicide. Robin was friends with you, too. She got you a job at Battersea when you were a volunteer, she was kind to you, trusted you—’
‘This isn’t about me. Might that unexpected meeting with an international bestselling author have taken place because you were living with his daughter?’ Amelia says, as though speaking my private fears out loud. ‘I guess for those ten years you were married to Robin, you were Henry Winter’s son-in law. You just didn’t know it.’
‘Bob,’ I whisper.
‘What about him?’
‘He was Robin’s dog. She adopted him from Battersea, loved him like he was a child. If she has him then at least we know that he’s safe.’
‘Do you really think she’s behind all of this?’ Amelia asks.
‘Who else can it be? The most important question right now, is why are we here, and why now? If she wanted revenge it’s a long time to wait. So what does she want? Why trick us into coming to Scotland?’
‘I don’t know, she’s your ex-wife.’
‘She’s your ex-friend. You told me that when you won a weekend here, the email said we could only come this weekend. Is that right?’ I ask.
She shrugs. ‘Yes. But why? What’s so special about this weekend?’
‘I don’t know. What’s the date?’
Amelia checks her phone. ‘Saturday the… 29th February. It’s a leap year, I hadn’t even noticed. Does that mean something?’
‘Yes,’ I say. ‘It’s our wedding anniversary.’
She looks confused. ‘We got married in September—’
‘Not ours. It’s the date I married Robin.’
Robin
Robin remembers walking away from the house in London, the day she found Adam and Amelia in bed together. She remembers the magnolia tree, and she remembers taking off the sapphire engagement ring that had once belonged to Adam’s mother, along with her wedding ring, and leaving them behind on the kitchen table. The rest is a blur at best. She grabbed her bag, a few of her favourite things, then got in her car and just drove. She didn’t know what she was going to do, or where she was going to go, she just had to get far, far away from them, as fast as possible. Her biggest mistake was leaving Bob behind. The only people with no regrets are liars.
That was when Henry called. To tell her he was dying and to ask her to come home.
Robin hadn’t spoken to her father for years, but a series of fallen stars seemed to align themselves that afternoon, to guide her back to the home she ran away from as a child. Truth be told, she had nowhere else to go.
Robin still remembers when Amelia first started volunteering at Battersea Dogs Home, and how she took pity on the mousy, lonely creature, in the same way she took pity on all the abandoned animals that arrived there. She helped Amelia to get a job, and a life, became her friend, and in return the woman stole her husband. She looks so different now, with her blonde hair, fancy clothes, and Robin’s ex-husband on her arm. But, as awful as being betrayed by a friend is, it was Adam who Robin blamed at first. For everything.