Chapter One

A fter turning the corner, Robyn leaned forward, willing her car to creep up the steep hill away from the beach. Glancing in the rear-view mirror, she could see the ocean behind her. Although dull from the weak winter sun, the view was beautiful all the same. A red and white striped lighthouse stood at the far end of the bay, golden sands sweeping across from the rocks it was standing on.

Gorgeous. She grinned. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d visited the seaside. Three years ago, at least. Yes, when she and her sister had jumped in the car and driven to Hunstanton to enjoy a day of walking along the beach and enjoying warm sugary doughnuts from the little stall as they watched the sunset.

As the engine groaned, she rammed the gear stick into first and leaned a little more forward, her chin almost touching the steering wheel. She knew it didn’t do anything but sitting here, in her seventeen-year-old fiesta, what else could she do to help her old car up the hill? Besides, when she’d been younger, her dad had always said to lean forward to help their equally old and rusty car up the steep slope cut into the hill on the way to their favourite holiday destination.

She frowned. She missed those holidays. Weeks away from home, from school, from the stress of the real world, where she and her sister had the freedom to wander to the beach by themselves and have picnics in the middle of the field adjoining the holiday park with friends they made. A rare time in her childhood when the arguments between her parents had been limited – everyone knew how easily raised voices could be heard through the thin walls of their touring caravan.

Yes, it had been a forced lapse in the arguments, but a lapse both she and her sister, Cathy, had been grateful for. One in which they could pretend they had a happy family, a family where their parents got on, tolerated each other.

Reaching the brow of the hill, she turned left, searching for the bakery she would be volunteering at. Not that she remembered the name of the street. Just as she reached across to pick up the scrap of paper she’d scribbled the address on, the piercing tune of her mobile phone filled the car. Pulling over to the side of the road, she pulled up the handbrake before answering. ‘Hi.’

‘Hey, sis. Are you there yet? If not, turn back, please?’ Cathy’s voice filled the car, her tone a mixture of a plea and a joke.

‘Nope. No way am I turning back.’ Robyn rolled her eyes. They must have had this conversation at least ten times in the past two days. Yes, she felt terrible bailing out on their Christmas plans, especially with the big day only a week or so away, but Cathy and her husband, Toby, had always been able to cope with the chaos. ‘I know you think I’m leaving you to referee between Mum and Dad, but you’ve got Toby and the kids. You don’t have to go visiting and choosing who to visit when as they come to yours.’

‘I know.’ Cathy’s voice grew quiet. ‘But you could have just spent the day at mine and not worried about playing their games.’

‘Umm...’ Robyn shook her head. She’d always loved Christmas growing up. After all it was a double celebration – Christmas day and her birthday – and because their childhood home had had an open-door policy on Christmas Day, her parents had put on a show, pretended to get along in case grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins had popped by. Yes, it had used to be her favourite day of the year. Now, though, she spent the day orchestrating her parents’ whereabouts, so they didn’t cross paths and if she got it wrong, which she had last Christmas, she’d be forced to play the referee, the peacekeeper. ‘I just want a break from it all.’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘Cathy? You understand, don’t you? You understand why I just had to get away? I just want to enjoy my time off from work. Just for once.’

Cathy sighed. ‘Yes, I understand. I suppose you have got the raw end of the deal where our parents are concerned. I’m sorry, I should do more to help you.’

‘Nope, you’ve got the kids and the last thing either of us wants is for them to get caught in the crossfire between Mum and Dad.’

‘That’s true. Look, you enjoy yourself. Enjoy Christmas. Do all the Christmassy things you can.’

Robyn peered up at the twinkling lights hanging between the old-fashioned lampposts and laughed. ‘Honestly, if I had my way, I’d have a break from Christmas too.’

‘Hey, don’t say that. You used to love it.’

Now it was Robyn’s turn to sigh. She knew her sister meant well, but if she didn’t hear another Christmas carol or have to eat another mince pie for the rest of her life, she’d be relieved. ‘Anyway, I’d best get moving or else the owner of the bakery will think I’ve skipped out on her.’

‘Go on then, go meet your new boss. Miss you.’

‘Miss you too. Bye.’ Hitting the End Call button, Robyn scanned the piece of paper she’d written the address on. Slapping her forehead, she placed the paper back down. She was going in the wrong direction. She’d have to turn around and head back towards the beach. As she started the engine, an almighty bang sounded from the exhaust, followed by a plume of black smoke. Great.

Twisting the key again, Robyn started the engine again, resulting in another colossal bang and an equally large plume of smoke.

That’s all she needed. That was the car gone then. She’d have to leave it here and call out the breakdown cover. But she’d get to the bakery first. She might be waiting hours for the breakdown service to reach her, and she didn’t want her new boss thinking she wasn’t coming.

Stepping out onto the path, Robyn walked around to the boot and pulled out her small suitcase. She was glad she’d borrowed Cathy’s suitcase with wheels now instead of bundling her things into the holdall and two supermarket carrier bags she’d originally been planning on bringing. She smiled as her car keys got caught in the fabric four-leaf clover keyring Cathy had attached to the handle of the suitcase. Years ago, she’d sewn that for Cathy when she was flying to America to meet friends. Robyn had told her it was a lucky charm to keep her safe on her journey.

Just as she closed the boot, she spotted a large golden Labrador hurtling down the path towards her. Glancing around, she searched the area for the owner, but the street was desolate. The dog was on its own.

Sticking her hand out, she tried and failed to grab its lead as it flew behind it. That at least suggested there was an owner about then. Gripping the handle of the suitcase, she began chasing it. The owner was probably looking for it and she couldn’t just leave the dog to fend for itself and get even more lost than it already was.

She tried to pick up her speed as the dog turned left and began the descent down the hill. Robyn drew in breath after breath as she forced herself to place one foot in front of the other. She should have joined Cathy at her Monday spin class. If she had, she might well have caught up with the dog now instead of chasing it fruitlessly down the hill.

Glancing around, she spotted a man and woman a little further ahead. Thank goodness. Maybe they could catch it. Opening her mouth, she tried to shout out, but all she could manage was a quiet, ‘Catch.’

She watched as the man grabbed the dog’s lead with ease and the dog finally slowed to a stop. Grinning, he called towards her, ‘I think someone’s had enough of running.’

Slowing, Robyn jogged the rest of the way towards them, her long forgotten suitcase ramming against her ankles as she came to a stop. Bending over, she leaned her hands on her knees and filled her lungs with the cold air. ‘Thank goodness. I know I have. Thank you.’

‘No worries. Here you go.’ The man held the lead out towards her.

Taking the lead, Robyn blew a strand of hair from her rosy cheeks. ‘He’s not even mine. I just saw him running loose and wanted to stop him before he got knocked down or something.’

The woman looked around them. The street was still empty. ‘Oh, that’s strange. I wonder who he belongs to.’

‘Oh, he’s so cute. Can I pet him?’ A young girl walked across to them, knelt down on the path next to the dog, and began scratching him behind his ear.

‘He seems friendly enough.’ Robyn smiled as another girl came over and began fussing over the dog too, who rolled promptly over, ready for his tummy to be tickled.

‘You did well to chase him, pulling your suitcase along with you.’ The woman nodded towards the suitcase. ‘Are you staying here in the bay?’

‘I am, yes. I’m volunteering down at a little bakery here.’ Robyn turned and looked up and down the hill. Why hadn’t she just dropped her suitcase instead of lugging it behind her as she had? Instinct and forgetting she was even pulling it behind her, probably. ‘Although after chasing this one around, I’m not actually sure I know in which direction I’m going anymore.’

‘Is that The Cornish Bay Bakery you’re volunteering at?’

‘That’s right. Please tell me I’m not miles away. I think I’m all walked out!’ Robyn laughed. If this family was anything to go by, the local residents seemed friendly and welcoming.

‘Haha, no, it’s just down the road. We’re going that way, so can show you if you like? I’m Debbie and this is Richie.’ Debbie then turned towards the girls. ‘And these two are Trixie and Ava.’

‘Lovely to meet you all. I’m Robyn.’ She held her hand up in a wave. ‘And that’d be great if you don’t mind showing me.’

‘Of course not.’ Debbie grinned. ‘And we can ask Elsie if she knows who the dog belongs to. She knows everyone in the bay, so hopefully she will.’

Elsie. That was the name of the woman who ran the bakery. She remembered now. ‘Excellent.’ Looking down at the dog, she shook her head. ‘No more running off, okay? We’ll soon get you back to your owner.’