‘Not so fucking brave now, are you?’ Leo followed him, jabbing at him with the knife. ‘Look at you – you’re shit scared.’

‘You’ve got a knife, Leo,’ I said. ‘What d’you expect? For Christ’s sake – put it down.’

‘Why?’ He continued to jab at Nat, who inched backwards away from him.

‘Get out of here, Grace,’ he said. ‘I can deal with this.’

‘No way,’ I said. ‘I’m not going anywhere without you.’

That seemed to be the last straw for Leo. He lunged at Nat, screaming in fury. Nat ran towards the kitchen, Leo hot on his heels and still brandishing the knife. I followed behind him, not knowing what to do, but not wanting to leave Nat. As he reached the kitchen, he slipped on another pile of wet washing, and fell to the floor.

Leo sank down above him and raised the knife into the air. As I watched, and almost in slow-motion, he brought the blade down onto Nat’s shoulder. As Nat struggled, I saw a bloom of red appear on his shirt, its centre a small tear in the fabric, where Leo had pulled the knife out. He crouched over Nat, staring at the blade in satisfaction before holding it up again, ready to drive it back home.

I searched around me desperately for something to stop him. All I could see was the knife block. I almost considered taking a knife from it myself, and stabbing him, but, in the end, I couldn’t face the thought of it, and grabbed the knife block itself. As Leo lifted the knife higher, ready to stab Nat again, I brought the block down, hard and heavy on Leo’s head.

He gave a jerk and sat there for a moment, as if in surprise, before slumping forwards onto Nat, the knife skating across the floor as he went down.

I stood there for a fraction of a second, not sure what to do.

‘Grace.’ Nat’s voice was quiet and muffled. ‘Get loverboy off me, there’s a good girl.’

I came to and did as he asked, heaving Leo to one side of Nat. As he rolled over onto his back, I realised his eyes were sightless, staring at the ceiling without seeing. ‘Oh my God, Nat.’ I could barely speak. ‘I…I think he’s dead. I think I’ve killed him.’

‘It’s okay.’ Nat heaved himself over onto his side. ‘Just listen to me.’

He was struggling to speak himself and, as he moved, the patch of blood was growing larger. I knelt in close to him. ‘What, Nat?’

‘Do as I say,’ he said, through gritted teeth. ‘I know I said never outside the bedroom, but this time, you have to obey completely. No questions.’

‘Okay, Sir,’ I said, trying not to cry as the enormity of the situation hit me. ‘Anything.’

‘Is there another way out of here? Without going past security?’

‘Through the garages in the basement,’ I said, doubtfully. ‘But I don’t know what Leo’s done with the car keys.’

‘Fu…forget the car keys,’ he said, wincing, as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. ‘Just get out of here, Grace.’

‘I can’t leave you,’ I said, choking on my tears. ‘Don’t make me.’

‘You have to,’ he said. ‘You can’t get involved in all this.’

‘But you don’t understand…’

‘Hush,’ he held his finger up to my lips. ‘You don’t understand. I’ve got no reputation. It hardly matters what people think of me, anymore. They already think I’m a murderer. You? You’re the nation’s sweetheart. Make this worth my while, Grace. Let me do the right thing for once.’

‘No, Nat.’ I was crying openly now.

‘Yes, Angel.’ He lifted his phone and dialled the emergency services. ‘By the time the ambulance and the police arrive, I want you far from here, do you understand?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘But no.’

‘Go now, Grace.’ The blood was flowing openly now, pooling on the floor behind him. ‘If you’ve ever loved me, stay away from me.’

   I stood up, shaking my head.  He looked up at me and nodded. ‘Hello, yes. Ambulance please, and the police. There’s been an accidental death, and I’m not feeling too good, either.’

He glared at me to go and, finally, I turned tail and ran out to the lifts.

    Fifty Three

Him

I’d barely been in hospital more than a few hours, when DI Brown appeared. ‘So, it’s your turn to be the victim today, is it?’ she said, settling herself down in the chair beside my bed.

‘So it would appear.’ I turned my head away. I really couldn’t face any more at the moment. My shoulder hurt like fuck, and I just wanted to sleep.

‘I should’ve brought popcorn.’ She leaned over and helped herself to a cherry from the bag Ronnie had left earlier. ‘Does it hurt?’

I shook my head. ‘Not a bit.’

‘Shame. Funny how you got off with a mere flesh wound,’ she remarked. ‘While the so-called perpetrator died, don’t you think?’

‘Not at all,’ I said. ‘And I’ve already told you I killed him, so why don’t you just get on and charge me?’

She heaved an impatient sigh. ‘Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear those words?’ Her voice was heavy with irony.

‘I do.’

‘So, why is it that, when you finally utter them and admit to killing someone, I still don’t believe you?’

‘Divine justice,’ I said, with as near to a shrug as I could muster, given the current state of my shoulder.

‘You know I’m going to have to let you go for now, don’t you?’ she said, sounding bitter. ‘Your whole cock-and-bull story doesn’t make any sense. How could you hit him over the head with your shoulder like that?’

I didn’t answer.

‘I hate to say it.’ She took another cherry from the bag. ‘But for the first time ever, I think you’re innocent.’

I gave her a tight smile.

‘I’ll be in touch,’ she said, getting up to go.

‘I don’t doubt it,’ I said, with a sarcastic smile. ‘I don’t suppose I’ll be going anywhere.’

As it happened, I was wrong. I was released the following day. Ronnie came to pick me up with Stephens.

‘I saw Alex,’ she said, flatly. ‘He’s gone abroad. I don’t think we’ll be seeing him again.’

‘Fucking good,’ I said, staring moodily out of the window. My shoulder was still killing me, and the news that Alex had gone was all I needed.

‘He said he had to get away.’ She sounded sad.

‘Wherever he goes, it won’t be far enough.’ I clenched my fists. ‘I’ll find him, and he knows it.’

Ronnie didn’t answer.

‘And Aimee?’ I turned to her ‘Have you seen her?’

‘No, Nat. I haven’t.’

We subsided into silence for a while, before I turned to her again. ‘You didn’t seem too surprised, when you saw her. Did you know?’

‘I knew she was back.’ She gave a sigh. ‘At least, I had my suspicions, from what your mother said. I couldn’t know, because she kept such a low profile.’

I didn’t speak for a few minutes, as the implications of her words slotted into place. When I did, it was in an accusatory tone. ‘You always knew she was alive, didn’t you?’

Ronnie gave a shrug. ‘I was never convinced she was dead,’ she said, finally. ‘If that’s what you mean.’

‘So, why the disappearing act?’ I turned to her, sure she knew more than she was letting on. ‘What was behind it all?’

Ronnie looked uncomfortable and I knew I was right – she’d known all along. Of course she had – she’d been in my father’s confidence for years. She’d known all along and she hadn’t told me. God, could I trust anyone?

‘She’s at the Castle,’ she said, before pursing her lips in a way that I knew meant she’d say no more.

When we drew up outside the Castle, Aimee was on the steps, talking to my mother. It looked as if she were leaving.

Stephens helped me out of the car, and I walked up to them. ‘Before you go, I think it’s time we had a little chat, don’t you?’

Aimee and my mother sneaked a glance at each other, then Aimee sighed. ‘Okay,’ she said. ‘But it won’t do any good.’

We went into the drawing room. It was dark and gloomy inside, despite the large sash windows, and I wondered if it was more to do with the ominous presence that seemed to surround Aimee.