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Geoffrey raised an eyebrow. ‘Bartie virtually disappeared after you took off. I’ve hardly seen him from year to year, until he heard that I was thinking of selling this place.’
‘So, not a brilliant son substitute then?’
‘A very poor one, I’d say.’
The two men smiled at each other as the rising sun turned the sea to shimmering gold. Then, they sat in silence while the sun climbed higher and the pink sky at the horizon faded into the palest of blues.
‘When will you return to Australia?’ asked Geoffrey after a while.
‘Soon, I suppose, especially now you’re going to sell the diamonds and you don’t need to sell this place, not for a while anyway. I’ll get a flight booked.’
‘Right.’ Geoffrey folded his hands in his lap. ‘I hope you’ll come to see me again before too long. Or maybe, if you don’t mind, I could make more regular visits to see you in Australia? Make up for lost time. That kind of thing.’
River grinned, as the rising sun’s rays warmed his skin. ‘Yeah. I’d like that. I’d like that a lot, Dad.’
There was no outward sign that Geoffrey had noticed that River had called him ‘Dad’, except for the tear that trickled down his cheek.
36
CLARA
Her mother was not happy. In fact, Clara would go so far as to say that Julie Netherway was furious.
‘You did what?’ she demanded, even though Clara had explained it all very carefully.
Clara placed the tulips she was carrying on the ground, next to her grandmother’s gravestone, and straightened up. Talking to her mother in public and in broad daylight so she wouldn’t freak out didn’t appear to be working.
‘I told you, Mum. I fished Audrey Brellasham’s diary out of the bin while you were in bed, which I know I shouldn’t have done. Some of the things she’d written were in code but I managed to crack it and work out what she’d said.’
Julie stooped down and began to clear Violet Netherway’s grave in what could only be described as an aggressive manner. Weeds that had dared to encroach on the area were yanked from the earth with force and thrown to one side.
‘Why would you do that?’ she asked, tearing out a dandelion. ‘No, don’t tell me. I suppose Audrey was speaking to you from some other dimension and saying her voice had to be heard? You losing your mind is the only possible explanation as to why you would go against my explicit instructions and do something that would horrify tragically bereaved Mr Brellasham while also dragging your hideously maligned grandmother back into the spotlight. Poor Audrey Brellasham is dead, Clara. Can’t you let her rest in peace?’
‘The thing is, Mum’ – Clara swallowed – ‘it turns out that Audrey Brellasham isn’t dead after all.’
Julie stopped, her fingers wrapped around another unsuspecting weed, and looked up.
‘What are you gabbling on about? Of course she’s dead.’ She released the weed and got to her feet, her face suddenly creased with concern. ‘I understand that life’s very stressful for you at the moment, what with the manor being sold and River heading back to Australia soon. It’s a tough time. But I’m getting worried about you, Clara.’ She put an earthy hand on her daughter’s shoulder. ‘Do you think talking to Dr Kellaway might help?’
‘I don’t need to see a doctor, Mum. I’m fine, and what I told you about Audrey is true. She needed to escape from the manor because her husband was abusing her, so she waded into the sea and swam to a boat that was waiting for her. She’s been living in Ireland, mostly, but now she’s back in England and settled in a care home in Surrey.’
Julie huffed, scepticism written across her face, but then her eyes narrowed and she moved her hand from Clara’s shoulder.
‘I hardly knew Edwin. He was unwell and bedbound for many years and I had little to do with him. But actually, I did hear things about him from my mother. Not much. Just a criticism here and a hint there but, you know your gran, she never usually had a bad word to say about anyone.’
‘Gran knew all about Edwin’s abuse, and she was one of the people who helped Audrey to escape. Grandad was the person rowing the boat that carried her to her new life.’
‘Your grandad?’ squeaked Julie.
Her mouth had fallen open but no sound was coming out so Clara carried on while she could. ‘Gran sent Audrey a coded message to tell her where the boat would be and that message was in the back of the diary. That’s why Gran stole it from Audrey’s bedroom.’
‘Your grandmother wasn’t a thief!’
‘OK,’ said Clara gently. ‘Let’s say that she liberated the diary before Edwin or the police got to it.’
‘So that she could retrieve this message that you claim she sent.’
‘Exactly, and maybe she also didn’t want Edwin reading Audrey’s innermost thoughts.’
