Page 68 of Mirrors of the Past

He pulled the photo album towards them and opened it up as she clicked through her phone to find the wedding pictures.

They spent a pleasant half hour or so comparing the photos. Elsie was easy — she was the witch in the middle of the Macbeth shot and looked just as radiant in her wedding photograph.

‘I’m not sure who those other two girls are,’ said Tegan. ‘I’m guessing at Holly and Pearl. She was besties with them.’

‘They aren’t on the wedding group,’ said Ryan. ‘But that little girl is — and so is the dog.’

They both smiled at the little cat and the cheerful-looking mongrel.

‘I’m not sure who they are,’ said Tegan. ‘I don’t know enough about the family history yet.’ She blushed. ‘Which is shit to admit when you’re in charge of the history side of the arts centre.’

‘You’re new to the post,’ said Ryan, surprised on some level that he was sticking up for Tegan . . . and she was admitting to not being very good at something.

‘Yeah. But I bet you know more about your family at Wheal Mount than I do about mine at Pencradoc.’

‘They’re the same family, really.’ Ryan grinned. He pointed at the four blonde girls in the wedding photos — the four who were not Viola, because God knew they were both pretty familiar with what she looked like now. ‘Those are my girls. Clara, Mabel, Lucy and Nancy.’ He pointed at them from tallest to smallest.

They flicked through the album until they found the pages with the girls on to compare them.

‘That one must be Louis’ brother,’ said Tegan, pointing at the apparent best man. He looks like Louis.’

‘He’s not in the photo album,’ said Ryan. ‘But that guy is.’ He indicated a dark-haired man who wasn’t Laurie. Again, he knew enough to know who Laurie was.

‘Those must be Elsie’s brothers and sisters, then,’ said Tegan, looking at the sea of genetically blessed people. ‘Again, God, I don’t know their names.’

‘And I don’t know who this lot are.’ Ryan studied two boys and a girl who didn’t look like anyone else in the wedding photo, but were at the party. ‘God, we’re useless.’ He laughed. ‘How are we still employed?’

‘I have no idea!’ Tegan laughed with him.

And it was while they were both obviously having a good time, that Ryan heard a delighted, yet half-curious voice speak. ‘Well, isn’t this nice! Good to see you both networking.’

Shit.

‘Sybill. Hello. And, um, hello, Coren.’

Sure enough, it was their employers, walking into the White Lady hand in hand.

‘Are we okay to sit here?’ asked Sybill pleasantly. ‘Place is a bit busy tonight.’

Tongue-tied, Ryan nodded and out of the corner of his eye he saw Tegan subtly move her seat away from him a fraction to make it look a little less cosy.

‘What can I get you all to drink?’ asked Coren, equally pleasantly. Ryan had the feeling that he was trying to stifle a laugh.

Tegan and Ryan muttered their requests and sat in silence as Sybill fussed around and sat down. ‘Coren got your message,’ she said to Tegan. ‘Said you were staying at a friend’s tonight. And then we saw Ryan’s van in the car park here, and wondered what he was doing there. And here you are. Together. How lovely.’

‘We’re working, actually,’ said Tegan stiffly. ‘As you know, Ryan brought the Halloween things over and we decided to come here and look at them.’

‘What’s wrong with working in the office?’ asked Sybill. ‘Although, I must say, it’s nice in here.’

‘It’s got a totally different atmosphere,’ muttered Ryan dryly.

Sybill studied him for a moment. ‘I suppose it has. Yes. Oh — thanks Coren.’ She smiled up as Coren came over with a tray of drinks, then took his own seat. ‘Tegan and Ryan tell me they’re working tonight.’

‘That’s good,’ said Coren and smiled at them. ‘What are you doing?’

‘Looking at this photo album,’ said Tegan, clearly giving up. ‘Trying to spot the people in the wedding photos. But we, um, don’t know enough of the people in the family to know them all. We don’t know these three people, or this guy. Or the names of Elsie’s family. Or the dog or the little girl.’

‘We know practically nothing,’ added Ryan miserably.