‘No, I couldn’t.’ Danny gave him a pleading look. ‘I know that if I had I’d still be alive and well now, but Brooke probably wouldn’t be. And I couldn’t leave her alone with that letch, could I? Lee Hardwick was a real sleazeball. Brooke had had a drink or two, and he’d have taken advantage. I didn’t trust him with her. I had to protect her, whether she wanted me to or not.’
‘So you stayed in the car for Brooke’s sake.’
‘She was Kirsty’s cousin.’
Rory nodded. ‘Let’s face it, Danny. Even if she hadn’t been you’d have done the same thing. Like I said, you’re the most unselfish, kind person I’ve ever known.’
‘Maybe I used to be,’ Danny said sombrely. ‘I don’t think I’m particularly kind these days. In fact, I’m a proper misery guts.’
Rory smiled. ‘I find that hard to believe.’
You haven’t heard the way I talk to Brooke sometimes. You haven’t seen how I’ve pushed her away.
He supposed, thinking about it, that deep down he resented her. If she hadn’t left the party and jumped into that car, they’d both still be alive and well right now. It was all her fault.
And yet, he realised that wasn’t strictly true. As Rory had pointed out, the coroner had blamed Lee Hardwick. He shouldn’t have been driving in that state. He shouldn’t have been taking cocaine at a party. He shouldn’t have been such a letch and then Danny wouldn’t have had to rush to Brooke’s rescue.
Then again, if he and Brooke hadn’t been arguing and had thought to fasten their seatbelts they might well have survived the crash relatively unscathed.
They were all partly responsible when it came right down to it, himself included.
He really hadn’t been fair to Brooke, and on his better days he knew it all too well.
But the truth was, it was safer to blame her. Safer to keep her at arm’s length…
‘So what about Brooke and Lee?’ Rory asked. ‘I take it they both went on to wherever it is we go after we…’
‘Die. Well, Lee did. Ironic, if you like. But Brooke’s with me.’
Rory gasped. ‘Brooke’s here, too? In Rowan Vale?’
Danny nodded. ‘Actually, we share a flat in the village. Not far from here.’
Rory looked dazed. ‘You and Brooke share a flat?’
‘Well, we’ve got to live somewhere,’ Danny said uncomfortably. ‘There’s not an endless supply of houses here, so you take what you’re given.’
‘Of course you do.’
‘After we died, the villagers all rallied round to find us accommodation. They were really kind to us actually.’
‘So you and Brooke…’ Rory sounded strangely hopeful. ‘Are you and she together now?’
Danny looked appalled. ‘Why would you think that? We just share a flat, that’s all!’
‘It’s been eighteen years, Danny. No one would think badly of you if you and she?—’
‘She’s Kirsty’s cousin! It wouldn’t be right. Even if I felt like that about her, which I don’t, I couldn’t. Definitely not.’
‘No. Right.’
‘And anyway, I’m a married man. Remember?’
‘Well…’ Rory hesitated. ‘You’re not really, are you? “Till death us do part”. Isn’t that the vow? And you’re technically dead. So you’re not really married any more. Technically.’
‘But I am. At least, that’s how I feel. Unless, of course…’ Danny raised wary eyes to Rory. ‘Unless Kirsty’s notmywife any more.’
‘She’s your widow,’ Rory said flatly.
