‘I can only imagine!’ Annabel raised an eyebrow in mock horror. ‘But in all seriousness, those dating apps sound awful! My friend Jenny at work uses them and you should hear some of the tales she tells me. She’ll spend a couple of weeks chatting online with some guy who’s perfect on paper, only to meet him and find out that his profile picture is about ten years out of date. Or he’s used someone else’s picture. Or he’s only after one thing. It all just sounds exhausting.’ Annabel sighed at the thought.
‘We may have come a long way on the technology front,’ she continued, ‘but I’d much rather go back in time and meet someone the old-fashioned way, like how you and Grandpa met.’ Annabel looked over at the ornate frame on the mantelpiece, showing her grandparents on their silver wedding anniversary.
‘It was at a dance, wasn’t it? In London, during the war?’ Annabel turned back to her grandmother and she saw that look again; as if a cloud was passing across Dotty’s face as she, too, gazed at the photograph.
Dotty had never shared much about her younger years, which had always been a huge disappointment to Annabel, the historian. She would have loved to have heard about her wartime experiences in London, but Dotty had always brushed it off, with a glib, ‘Oh you don’t want to hear about all that; no great heroics, we all just did our bit,’ and would then changethe subject. Annabel had put it down to her avoiding painful memories, having lost both her parents during the war and her brother, Thomas, a few years later.
‘Dotty?’ she probed.
‘Sorry my love, I was miles away!’ she resumed. ‘Oh, he was a good man; the very best of men. I knew he’d always take care of me. And Noel, too. We were very lucky. It wasn’t a bed of roses all the time, you understand, but we shared the same values and wanted the same things. And we tried every day to make each other happy.’
‘You must miss him very much. We all do.’ Annabel smiled sadly at her grandmother. ‘Dear Grandpa.’
‘Every day for seventeen years.’ Dorothy sighed. ‘But that’s life, I’m afraid. Nothing lasts forever, good or bad, remember that. And there’s no need to rush into anything new.’ Dotty patted her hand. ‘Maybe you just need a bit of time apart from Luke, a bit of space to think about things. A little break somewhere nice and a bit of “you” time to see how you really feel. You’ve got Easter holidays coming up soon, haven’t you?’ Dotty asked. ‘Why don’t you take yourself off somewhere nice for a change of scenery?’
‘Yes, that’s a good idea. I asked Luke if he fancied having a few days away somewhere, but he said he’s too busy at work.’ She sighed again and looked out of the window.
The evening sunlight was making the patio daffodils glow and the sea sparkle a perfect shade of turquoise in the distance. She suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of calm and an idea formed.
‘Dotty, can I come and stay here with you?’
CHAPTER 3
Bath
Friday 22nd March, 2019
The last day of term arrived and Annabel was at work in the university history department, making a coffee in the little kitchen near her office. She had a busy day ahead, preparing for her lecture on Roman architecture and going through her tutor group’s essays on the Greco-Persian wars. She yawned and ran a hand through her hair, wishing she’d got more sleep.
‘Morning!’ came the cheerful Yorkshire accent of her colleague, Jenny. ‘Happy almost end of term!’
Annabel turned and mustered a smile for her friend. ‘Hallelujah! We’re nearly there!’
Jenny’s eyes widened as she stared at her friend. ‘You alright? You look terrible!’
‘Thanks a bunch!’ Annabel scoffed. ‘I’m definitely ready for a holiday! Too much marking and not enough sleep. And things with Luke aren’t exactly helping either. Fancy a coffee?’
‘Go on then,’ Jenny replied. She sat down at the little bistro table and her brow furrowed in concern. ‘Still being a dick, is he?’
Annabel sighed as she spooned instant coffee into two mugs, added the water and stirred. ‘Yep, sure is.’
‘How did he take the news of you heading down to your granny’s for the holidays?’ Jenny asked.
Annabel put the coffee mugs on the table and sat down opposite her friend.
‘He was remarkably unfazed by it. I was only going to go for a week, then try to book a couple of days for us to go away together. But he told me that he’s going to be so busy with work that he can’t do that, and suggested I spend the whole holiday at Dotty’s.’
‘Oh!’ Jenny said, surprised. ‘That’s a bit rubbish!’
‘It certainly is.’ Annabel gave a helpless shrug. ‘They’re working on their proposal for that Ashton House project, you know that old Victorian place near Bristol?’
Jenny rolled her eyes as she recalled the project. ‘It’s a crying shame that that beautiful stately home is being converted into flats!’
Annabel nodded. ‘My sentiments exactly! Where’s the National Trust when you need them?’
‘Exactly!’ Jenny agreed, shaking her head.
‘Don’t get me wrong,’ Annabel continued, ‘I love my independence. And I’d hate for him to tell me that Icouldn’tgo to Dotty’s, but part of me wanted himnotto be OK about us spending so much time apart. Part of me wanted him to actually want me to be around.’ She sighed and leaned her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her upturned palms. ‘Pathetic, hey?’
