‘It’s portable.’
She shook her head.
He sighed. ‘Next week then?’
‘I’m telling you I saw a child. Why won’t you believe me?’ Juliette burst into tears.
Danny dropped to the floor with one stride and pulled her into his arms. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I thought perhaps you were overdoing things and that you were thinking of Emily.’
‘I’m always thinking of Emily,’ she sobbed.
‘I know. Me too.’ He waited for her tears to subside, thinking what a shit he’d been. But he was worried about her. He had seen the photo. There was no child next door. She must have been mistaken. There could be no other explanation.
‘What did you find out?’ Sarah asked Richard when he came into the house.
‘Nothing. I planted an idea in his head that Juliette was imagining a child in our garden. Danny’s worried her grief is overtaking her.’
‘That’s cruel.’
‘It is.’ Richard smirked.
‘So you’re trying to get Juliette to suspect that something is going on?’ she asked.
‘Of course not. I just want her to think she’s seeing things. Then if she hears anything untoward, she’ll dismiss it and we’ll be home and dry. There is a method in my madness, you know.’
‘Madness being the optimum word,’ she muttered.
‘What was that?’ He glared at her.
‘Nothing.’
He grabbed her roughly by the chin, squeezing hard. ‘Watch that mouth of yours.’
They stood in silence, as if he was daring her to speak out again. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of that, nor seeing how much it hurt.
Finally, he let her go.
‘What are you cooking for supper?’ he asked, the moment seemingly over.
‘I thought a nice steak, new potatoes and I have some fresh veg from the garden.’
‘Great. I’ll leave you to it. Make sure everything is done for sixp.m. I’ll be working until then. Don’t disturb me. And make sure nothing else does, either.’
Sarah nodded curtly, blowing out her breath as he left the room. She relaxed again when he’d gone. He created such an oppressive atmosphere at times. Never had she been so glad he had the studio to work in, to give her some peace during the days.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
With Danny coming up every weekend, Juliette had given herself a project to either find somewhere to visit locally, or else book in an evening or lunch at a different place. This weekend they were going to The Traveller’s Rest, Stanley.
Inside the pub, they were shown into the restaurant area and seated at a table near the window.
‘According to the menu, they do a cracking pie night every Monday, so the first one that you’re here, I’ll book in for that,’ Juliette said as she studied what to have. ‘It’s very popular.’
‘Sounds good to me.’ Danny reached for her hand. ‘There’s a bank holiday coming up. Perhaps then?’
‘I’m counting the days.’
‘For the pie?’
