Harry picks at her dessert, aware of the vacant space beside her. Her aunt interrupts her thoughts. "James is such a lovely chap, Harry. How did you meet?"

Harry looks up and then to the door, as if she can will him back to her side. She looks at Freddy, not sure about what her family know. "I met him when I left Robert. He was part of the investigation team when he was arrested and we stayed in touch when he was moved off it."

"Does it not complicate Robert's case?" Douglas looks apologetic despite his question. "I'd hate to see that weasel use any excuse."

"I expect he would use it as an excuse, he tried to already but James was taken off it very quickly by Spikings. It's probably a small risk, if I press charges for domestic abuse which I am still not sure about." Harry wavers as the guests drop silent, "Robert came to my house a few weeks ago and threatened me again. James was there and arrested him."

"I'm so very sorry, Harry." Douglas murmurs, taking a sip of wine, he reaches over and pats his cousin's hand, "I wish there was more I could have done."

"Don't be, you tried to stay in touch. He'd tried to cut me off from Freddy as it was." Harry says softly, the butterflies slowly settling in her stomach. "You would have moved mountains like James did."

Douglas nods. "You must be very proud of him as we are of you. He must be delighted at his promotion."

"Yes, He's already complaining he'll have more desk work!" Harry replies with a smile welcoming the change of subject and feeling a flicker of warmth at being asked about him.

"Are you.. ahem… together?" Her aunt asks with a blush. Harry clears her throat and daren't look at Freddy.

"He's a good friend, a kind man and I don't want to hurt him. There's still a lot of things to unravel because of Robert. I'm not even divorced." Harry replies as tactfully as she can but feeling a whisper of anxiety.

"Don't hang about too long, I'll bet that men like him get snapped up!" Her aunt is only teasing but Harry feels chilled by her words.

"Fortunately James is a patient man and my daughter is worth every second." Freddy is gentle but firm, "He's been a support to us both. Now let's get some drinks sorted out, is coffee alright?" He changes the subject swiftly and winks at Harry.

She's grateful to her father but her aunt's words strike home. He could get snapped up. He's had other women and it's not as if she has any claim on him. How much longer will he wait and could she resist. She's taken it for granted but the divorce could take forever and until then, she's not sure if going to his bed, however much she wants to, is the right thing to do. Surely nobody would blame her for acting on her desires. She eyes her father who is all but encouraging them which amuses her.

Both Harry and Freddy jump when Abbot walks into the room, "Lord and Lady Winfield, Detective Inspector Dempsey is in the library, he has requested that you join him."

Harry can feel the blood pumping through her ears as she follows Freddy up the stairs and into the room where Dempsey is sat in a chair by the desk. He is leaning forward, arms on his knees when they enter, his face oddly unreadable to her. She is realises that she doesn't know everything about him. He politely directs them to the sofa, and she's aware that she's seen this on the television. The bit when the police break bad news. She knows what she's expecting, but hopes it's not true.

"Harry…Freddy," Dempsey begins, waiting for Harry to focus on his words and she does so quickly. It'll be like ripping a plaster off, she thinks. "Robert Makepeace was attacked in his cell yesterday and died at St Thomas's hospital an hour ago."

Freddy seems to sink in guilty relief next to her. Harry can only focus on one spot on the carpet, her vision swimming at the sides of her eyes. "He's gone?" She finally croaks, feeling her stomach roll and heave.

She clatters to the toilet just in time to bring up the contents of her evening meal, heaving until there's nothing left. Her throat stings and her eyes water. Outside she can hear Dempsey asking if she needs him. Of course, she does, but not like this, not yet. She weakly tells him, 'in a moment'. A minute she needs to gather her composure and a moment to steal back and work out what she's feeling. There's so much she can't fathom at the moment, How? Why? When she looks at the mirror, her legs wobbling under her, she's aware that she's suddenly a widow. That she's actually free and feels guilty for the relief. After splashing her face with warm water and taking a few gulps from her cupped, cold hands, Harry makes her way back to Freddy and Dempsey who both look worried.

"I thought you were going tell me that Robert was on his way here or all charges have been dropped." She sinks to the sofa. "I feel… I feel, I don't know what I feel. Relief, guilt…What do I do next? What happens?"

"Chas wanted me to ask if you'd like Joseph Turner to deal with the legal stuff." Dempsey asks and she is grateful to focus on something practical.

"Yes, I want as little to do with him in death as I did in life." She takes a cup of tea from Freddy and she sips it gratefully as both men sit quietly with her. She has so many questions and none of them make sense.

"The obituary. I can't tackle it… people will know about the court case." She turns to Freddy, "You've been through enough without this."

"I'm bullet proof, Harriet." Freddy is firm, "It doesn't matter about others, if they don't understand then they're no friends of ours."

"Spikings will know the protocol," Dempsey says calmly, "He knows every newspaper editor and enough dirt to bring them all down if they don't do as he says. Makepeace won't get any news coverage unless necessary."

Harry nods and puts the cup of tea back on the tray. "I ought to go back downstairs.." But she can't face them and makes no move to leave.

She gulps back her tears, feeling a rage uncoil inside her. "Nobody got to see him brought to justice. It's almost too poetic isn't it? He came into this family, almost tore us apart. He did things to me that no husband should ever do to his wife. All I wanted was to show him I was better than him and I can't."

Her legs finally give out from her and she sinks to the floor, ashamed of her feelings. She wishes her mother was here and has to bite back a plea for her comfort. There's a warmth beside her. Harry looks across to find Dempsey crouched low and he takes her hand. "I wanted to beat the life from him so many times these past few months for you. I expect that, had I got to him, I'd have been in a long queue with you leading it."

"You know what? He asks and she shakes her head, "He would have seen a brave woman the other week. That's who I see, who your Pops sees, your family and mine too."

Freddy offers a warm smile as Dempsey holds out his hands to help her up, "I've gotcha."

Harry was expecting Freddy to give her a jolly-up speech as he had several times in the months after her mother passed, more perhaps for himself than her and she'd missed the signs of his grief. Once when the mirrors were still dressed with cloth and she had stormed out and walked for miles and she regrets this. This time Freddy says asks what she needs, not that she knows and she say so, taking sollace in her fathers embrace.

"I'll go and let the guests know…and I need to call Spikings." Dempsey hovers and then leaves.

It's only when she looks around that Harry realises she never heard him leave the room but how empty this space is without him.