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Hannah found herself listening intently for the answer.

Freya wrinkled her nose. “Ugh, disgusting. She’s far too old for all that.”

Zack chuckled and shook his head. “I think there have been a couple of girlfriends here and there. But she never introduced them to us. I overheard her once when we were younger. She was talking to Anne-Marie, and she said bringing someone else into our lives after all we’d been through would have been too much disruption.”

“Exactly,” said Freya.

Tom put his head on one side. “But now you’re both grown up, don’t you think she might want to meet someone?”

“Maybe,” said Zack. “I’m not sure she has time, though. She’s married to that place, I think.” He tilted his head in the general direction of the castle, and thought for a moment. “But you know, I would love to see her with someone. I sometimes wonder whether us being dropped into her lap deprived her of some things.”

Freya looked disinterested and Zack turned his head towards Hannah. “Did you meet any of her girlfriends at uni?”

“Uh, no,” said Hannah. “I suppose I sort of kept myself to myself a bit.”

“You definitely threw that tosser Saxon under the bus, though. You didn’t keep to yourself. Ow!” Freya glared at her brother, who was sitting next to her.

Hannah waited for her hackles to rise. But for once, they didn’t.

“I’m sure Hannah doesn’t want to talk work while she’s on holiday,” said Zack, shooting his sister a warning look to follow what had presumably been a well-aimed kick under the table.

Hannah gave a tight smile. “I guess that’s the thing,” she said, considering it, “me at work is quite different to me outside the newsroom. In the studio and when doing research, I have a mission, a purpose.”

“And outside you don’t?” Freya leaned forward.

Zack laughed nervously. “I’m sure that’s not the case. I know I’m a different person at work to the one I am at home.”

“But you’re a teacher. You can’t be the same with the kids as you are with us, although you are definitely a bit teachery with me at times,” said Freya, nudging her brother with her elbow. She turned back to Hannah. “Did it feel good? You know, when you knew you’d got him?”

Hannah chuckled. Freya would make a good journalist. She certainly didn’t give up. She nodded. “Yes. I remember the moment he said that line about how not all Russian investors were spies. I knew I had the receipts and I could show the evidence that the investor he was discussing was in fact working in spy-related circles.” Hannah shook her head, recalling the moment, knowing she had to keep going, to press her point home. And she’d done just that. It was in the twenty-four hours after that interview was shown that her life changed.

“Nice,” said Freya, clearly satisfied with the answer. “Did you always want to be a journalist?”

“Not really,” said Hannah thoughtfully. “My grandfather was a police officer, a DI actually. He solved mysteries and I wanted to do that, too. I thought initially I’d go into the police myself when I was part way through my degree, but ended up solving mysteries in a different way.”

Hannah took the opportunity to change the subject and turned to Zack’s boyfriend, who had remained quiet. “What do you do?”

Tom smiled. “I teach at the same school as Zack. It’s how we met. I teach history and he teaches maths.”

The conversation flowed, and soon they were all enjoying plates of pub food. Nowhere near as refined as the fare from the hotel, but hearty and delicious, nonetheless. Hannah spied haggis on the menu, but opted for sausage and mash in the end.

“Lottie’s lucky to have you all,” said Hannah over a coffee laced with brandy.

“No,” said Zack, suddenly serious, “we’re lucky to have her.”

Freya scowled. “Whatever.”

“Who’s lucky to have you lot?” Lottie’s face appeared around the corner. “Oh, hi.” She stopped, noticing Hannah sitting with her children.

Hannah felt something inside her move as she saw Lottie, clearly straight from work, her hair tied up in a messy bun and a thick jumper over faded jeans. She looked beautiful like that.

“Hi,” said Hannah, “I seem to have been adopted by your children.” She gave what she hoped was a warm smile, even while she was questioning why she felt a bubble of excitement at Lottie’s arrival.

It had to be the local beer.

“Even Freya?” Lottie gave her daughter the side-eye, then laughed. “I’m glad to hear it. I’ve just finished my chores for the evening so I thought I’d join you all for a drink.”

Zack pulled up a chair between himself and Freya, putting Lottie directly opposite Hannah.