She lifted her chin a little. ‘If you must know, I hid them there.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I didn’t want you to find them. Isn’t that obvious?’ She dropped her head. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t snap at you, but Henry…’ She sighed. ‘This whole thing about the dream you had, with me, here on Christmas Day. You’ve been clinging onto it, as if you believe it’s real, when surely you must know it wasn’t. It was lovely – a lovely thing to dream about and a lovely thing to have happened, but none of it was true…’
‘But I saw everything so clearly. The details…How could I have known stuff like that?’
‘You saw what you wanted to, Henry. It wasn’t my house, or my belongings, and it wasn’t me living there. Just a version of me your mind had created.’
‘So how do you explain the copy of this then?’ he said, holding up the book. ‘I was looking for something to read on your bookcase and I saw these, asked you what they were like, and you told me they were good. That each one seemed better than the last. I carried it to your sofa and I started to read it, and I—’ He broke off as a sudden memory came to him. ‘It had a dedication in it, to Anne McIntyre, it…’ He turned the pages, swallowing as the exact same words leaped out at him. ‘How could I possibly have known that?’
Peg looked distraught. ‘I don’t know, Henry, but…it’s a popular book. I imagine loads of people have the same titles on their bookcases, and maybe you’d seen it somewhere before. In fact, I think you must have, for you to be able to remember it in that way.’
‘What about the leeks we had for dinner then? Ones which were gathered from your garden? Just like the ones you actually grow.’
‘But you knew I was a gardener, and leeks are a seasonal vegetable. A lot of people have them at this time of year. It was an educated guess, that’s all.’
‘So you don’t think that any of this means something? Even when coupled with the way we met?’
Peg was clearly thinking about his words. But she was also taking her time to reply. ‘I think perhaps you’d like it to,’ she said gently. ‘Which is perfectly understandable. You were in a bad accident. You nearly died, Henry, and I think your brain was trying to protect you from the horror of it all by showing you something you wanted to see. Even now you can’t remember what happened when you crashed. Surely that must tell you something?’
‘It does, which is exactly the point I’m trying to make. Because I think it tells you something, too, otherwise why hide the books?’
Peg was struggling to respond, that much was obvious. She looked upset and awkward, but the expression on her face conveyed more than that, and the more Henry studied her, the more he realised what it was. She looked sad. Unbelievably sad. Despite her outwardly sunny nature, and her smiles and her kindness, the sadness ran deeper than it all. She carried it with her everywhere she went, all day, and every day.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I didn’t mean to put you on the spot.’
‘Oh, I think you did,’ said Peg. ‘And I’m sorry I—’ She stopped abruptly as the back door opened.
‘Izzy! What are you doing here?’ She held up her filthy hands, laughing as she did so.
‘I just thought I’d pop down to see my favourite people and check on how you’re all doing.’ She gave a cheeky smile. ‘You’ve forgotten, haven’t you? It’s New Year’s Eve, Mum, remember? Alice’s wedding? We agreed I could bum a bed for the night…’
Peg was struggling to free her hands from the rubber gloves, pinging flecks of soapy scum everywhere in an effort to pull them off quickly. ‘Is that really the date?’ she said, finally free of them. ‘How on earth did that happen?’ She wrapped her arms around her daughter. ‘You’re right, I had completely forgotten, but it’s so lovely to see you!’
Izzy returned her mum’s fierce hug before pulling away and turning to Henry. ‘Andyoulook very much better than you did the last time I saw you.’
Henry dipped his head. ‘I’m being well looked after,’ he said. ‘So, yes, I’m much improved, thank you. He smiled as Izzy came forward and, to his surprise, lightly kissed his cheek. He didn’t even get that kind of welcome from his son. Or, at least, he hadn’t in the past. He was hopeful that might change now.
‘And how’s Mim? Where is she?’
‘Having a nap. Despite what she says, I think she’s rather enjoying being looked after. Gone are the days when she’s up at the crack of dawn.’ Peg checked her watch. ‘You’re just in time for dinner.’
‘Oh…’ Izzy dropped her head, cheeks flushing. ‘I probably should have reminded you I was coming,’ she said. ‘I didn’t think, sorry. But I’ll have to get up at the crack of dawn myself if I don’t stay over.’ She rolled her eyes at Henry. ‘Alice is a friend of mine who’s getting married tomorrow…of all days. I mean, who does that? But she lives in Somerset. Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay, Mum?’
Peg nodded, shaking her head in amusement. ‘Of course it is, but don’t expect wild celebrations tonight. You know I’ve never been big on the whole New Year’s Eve thing.’
Izzy pulled a face. ‘Oh, don’t worry, I’m planning on an early night – tomorrow is going to becraaazy. And then the day after I promised Pheebes I’d go round hers on my way home. She’s got some new furniture for her living room, but it’s flat-packedand you know what she’s like. I said I’d give her a hand…and by that I mean build it completely. Because who doesn’t spend their bank holiday doing DIY?’ She grinned at Henry. ‘Phoebe missed out on inheriting Mum’s practical genes – she got saddled with Dad’s complete inability to read instructions of any kind.’
She looked between the two of them, smiling happily.
Henry cleared his throat before the silence could lengthen. ‘I was just about to borrow your mum’s laptop,’ he said, tucking the copy ofCase Historiesunderneath it and lifting them both as proof. ‘I’ll take it into the other room – leave you two to have some time together.’
He smiled and walked from the room, well aware that both women were staring after him.
25
Peg brightened her smile. ‘Let me just get rid of this lot and I’ll make us a drink.’ She turned to rinse her gloves under the tap and stack the shelves on the draining board ready to go back in the oven.
