‘Then why are you doing everything you can to stay away from it?’ I reached for his hand and squeezed it. ‘Tell me honestly. Is this proving too much for you?’
‘Too – too much for me?’
‘I should have realised,’ I said sadly. ‘While we were busy obsessing about how I’d react to being here, we never thought about how it might affectyou. Danny was your brother! You loved him, too. I think we’ve underestimated how much it might upset you being here where he died.’
Rory’s thumb stroked the base of my palm. ‘I suppose you’re right. This place has been full of surprises.’
‘Then why don’t we go home?’ I suggested eagerly. ‘We don’t need to be here. It’s way too emotional for both of us. We can go back and celebrate our anniversary in our own house, just the two of us.’
He seemed to hesitate as I mentally crossed my fingers and hoped for the best, but then he shook his head. ‘We can’t. We haven’t done what we came to do.’ He kissed my hand then let it go. ‘Tomorrow we’ll go to the site of the accident and we’ll talk. We’ll really talk. It’s time to be honest with each other. But not today. Please. Let’s just get out of here and enjoy ourselves in Kingsford Wold.’
I could see he really meant it and there was no chance of heading back home any time soon, so I shrugged and forced a smile.
‘Of course. If that’s what you want.’
I’d just have to hope I didn’t bump into Brooke while we were out and about. She wasn’t the most discreet of people, and how would I explain to Rory that I was being harassed by my dead cousin if she decided she wanted to talk? He would never believe me.
We’d had breakfast in bed, courtesy of room service, and now we hurriedly dressed, changing out of the pyjamas Rory had insisted we wear, despite the warm April weather. I’d spent most of the night restlessly kicking off the duvet and wondering if this was all I had to look forward to. A husband who had suddenly developed a pathological fear of skin-to-skin contact with his wife.
I’d had quite a shock upon waking when I’d spotted that he had his socks on. How had he got away with that? Ugh! Thinking about it, it was probably a good job that he hadn’t been in the mood for sex. By the time we’d peeled all our clothes off it would have been time to get up anyway.
We made our way down to reception and then Rory clapped his hand to his forehead and said, ‘Bloody hell, I’ve forgotten the car keys! Won’t be a minute.’
He turned and headed back up the stairs, and I made my way outside to breathe in the fresh air and the scent of the pink roses round the porch.
‘Kirsty!’
I started in dismay as I saw Brooke heading towards me.
‘What are you doing here?’ I asked, looking around nervously in case anyone was watching. The last thing I wanted was for someone to have a quiet word with Rory, warning him that his wife had completely lost the plot and was talking to thin air. Given everything that had happened recently he wouldn’t take much convincing.
‘I need to talk to you.’
‘Well, it will have to wait. I’m going out with Rory and you need to go now! He’ll be down at any moment.’
‘So what? He can’t see or hear me,’ she said.
Annoyingly, she had a point.
‘Yes, but I can, and how can I act normally around him if you’re tagging along distracting me? Can we meet up later? This evening. We’re going out for the day and we won’t be home until around eight thirty, but I can try to get away then if you can meet me?—’
‘No, that’s no good.’ Brooke bit her lip and gazed around, looking worried. ‘I need to talk to you now. It really can’t wait. It’s important.’
‘Ready?’
I jumped as Rory strolled out of the inn and put his arm around me. ‘Got them. Let’s get going to Kingsford Wold, shall we?’
I glared at Brooke who folded her arms in response. She stared at an oblivious Rory quite insolently, and I bristled with annoyance.
‘He’s not as good-looking as Danny, is he?’ she said, giving me a sweet smile.
Count to ten, count to ten.
‘Come on, Kirsty. You know I wouldn’t ask if this wasn’t vitally important,’ she pleaded suddenly. ‘Just ten minutes. That’s all I’m asking.’
I heaved a heavy sigh of exasperation and stopped dead. Rory removed his arm from my shoulders and turned to me.
‘What’s wrong?’
