Sara Foster - Beneath the Shadows

‘Are you kidding?’ Grace replied, stepping back so Emma could see the boxes stacked up in the hallway behind her.

They filled Emma’s car with as much as it could hold, and Emma looked longingly at what was left behind.

‘It’s such a shame to leave it, but we’re staying over in Ockton tonight for New Year, and I’m helping her set up the sale first thing. I should have thought about this earlier.’ Her shoulders slumped regretfully.

‘Well, I could bring these to Ockton for you, if you like,’ Grace offered.

‘Oh, don’t you worry,’ Emma said hastily. ‘There’s no need to go to any bother.’

But Grace was thinking of Jonny. She had a burgeoning desire to see the farm at Gilldale for herself, and Ockton was only a few miles further. ‘I’d be happy to,’ she insisted. ‘Just give me directions.’

Emma’s face brightened. ‘Well, that’s ever so kind of you! My sister will be thrilled. If you’ve got a paper and pen handy, I’ll draw you a map.’

As they finished and Grace closed the door, she surveyed the half-empty hallway. This had been a stroke of luck for her as well as for Emma’s sister. Tomorrow this area would be clear again. It was amazing how the knowledge made her mind feel so much lighter.

As she walked into the lounge and looked around, she felt a fresh impetus to clear out as much as she could today. Most of the contents of the china cabinet could go to tomorrow’s sale, not to mention the extra table linen. She grabbed a few empty boxes from the hall and began to pull things out of drawers and pack them up. It was satisfying work, and she was stacking yet another full box in the hallway when she heard someone crunching down the garden path.

She opened the door to see Claire standing there. ‘Ben told me that your guests have gone, so I decided to pop round and see how you are.’

Grace was touched by Claire’s thoughtfulness. ‘Come in. Would you like a hot drink?’

‘A tea would be great, thanks.’

They went through to the lounge. Claire took a seat and began talking to Millie while Grace boiled the kettle.

When their mugs were on the table, Claire asked, ‘So, what are you doing for New Year tonight?’

‘Not a lot,’ Grace admitted. She had been half-hoping that Ben would come and find her to suggest they spent it together. Since he hadn’t, there weren’t many other options.

‘Would you like to come up to the schoolhouse? All my sisters will be there, we usually have a bit of a get-together. It isn’t right to see it in alone…’

Grace wasn’t keen to spend an evening outnumbered by Meredith and her family. However, she realised that it might give her the opportunity to speak to Liza again, and persuade her to talk to the police.

Before she could reply, Claire leaned forward.

‘Actually, I have to confess, I’m hoping that Ben might come too if he knows you’ll be there…’

Grace coughed as a large gulp of hot tea hit her throat unexpectedly fast. ‘What makes you say that?’

‘Well, he seems to think a lot of you. And I’m willing to try anything, to be honest. I am so sick of him skulking up there in that house, and Mum sitting in her castle… and never the twain shall meet. It’s ridiculous, they’re as bad as each other. If I’d known how this was going to pan out I wouldn’t have suggested he came back…’

Grace put down her mug. ‘I don’t know much about it. He’s only said that he had a big falling out with your parents and they’ve been estranged for years.’

‘Well, I bet he didn’t mention how much grief he caused Mum and Dad when he was younger – he was quite the tear-away for a while… Perhaps he was sick of being stuck out here with a load of teenage girls – it can’t have been easy. He crashed Dad’s car into the pub one night after he’d had too much to drink… lost control and it skidded right down the hill.’

‘So is that why he’s still barred?’ Grace asked. ‘I saw him getting thrown out.’

Claire smiled. ‘Len and Joyce think “ yance a bad egg, allas a bad egg ” – as do most people round here. They probably don’t realise how much time has passed. Once Ben got his reputation it was always going to be difficult for him to shake it off. Moving away was probably his only option – but then he set our house on fire…’

‘What!’

‘Oh, he didn’t mean to. He fell asleep in our old lounge room and left a candle burning. Woke up to find the room ablaze. Mum and Dad were out at the time, but all us girls were home. Ben came flying up the stairs to warn us, but we couldn’t get down past the fire, so we ended up climbing out of Veronica’s window and over the schoolhouse roof. It took the fire engine nearly an hour to get here, and half the house had burned down by the time they got it under control. We were lucky not to lose everything, but Mum and Dad never really forgave him. They pretty much kicked him out – or should I say they made his life hell from then on, until he’d had enough.’

Grace pictured the elegant room at the back of the house. ‘So the huge dining room with the picture window is part of the refurbishment?’

‘Yes.’

‘And how did you keep in touch with Ben, after he left?’

‘He would write to us. Mum and Dad never mentioned him, but we would tell them bits and pieces about what he was doing. The rift appeared to come from both sides, though I thought Mum might back down now Dad has gone. At least it has jolted Ben into making an effort, even if it is too late with Dad. But I don’t know why he’s come all this way and now seems stuck at the last hurdle, even if Mum should be meeting him halfway. Perhaps he’s just too proud to beg…’

‘Well, I hope they can sort it out.’

Claire finished her tea and stood up. ‘So will you come tonight?’

Grace hedged. ‘It’s a really kind offer, but it’s difficult with Millie…’

‘She can sleep in the lounge, if you like – it’s right next door to the dining room, and we have a baby monitor we can put in there as well. That’s what we did when Veronica’s boys were babies.’

Grace couldn’t think of another reason not to go, and so found herself reluctantly acquiescing. ‘Okay, I’ll come. Thanks.’

‘Great.’ Claire began to pull on her gloves. ‘Come around eight.’

They walked to the door. ‘Good luck with Ben,’ Grace said as she showed Claire out.

‘Thanks.’ Claire paused. ‘He’s fond of you – you and Millie. You’re doing him good. When he talks about you, he smiles – and it makes a change. It’s almost like we have the old Ben back.’

And she walked down the path towards the garden gate without waiting for a reply.

Grace stood in front of the schoolhouse, her hands gripping Millie’s pushchair, summoning up the courage to go in. She was missing Adam terribly tonight. Two years ago they had been standing in Times Square together, after Adam whisked her away to New York as a surprise. They had only been married a few months, and were thinking about trying for a baby sometime in the next year – unaware that Millie would be conceived ahead of schedule a month later. As they had held one another close, wrapped within a crowd of thousands all rejoicing, life was crammed with excitement and opportunity.

Last year she had been in her parents’ villa. Her mum had given her two sleeping pills and she had gone to bed at ten.

She peered up at the forbidding house, the only Christmas decoration a prickly wreath of holly on the door. However, despite her hesitation, she had to admit to herself that spending the evening with Meredith’s family was more appealing than sitting in her fusty old cottage on her own, watching TV. And maybe Ben would come too.