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Who would do such a thing?
I lean against the worktop, thinking about the dark-clothed intruder–was it a man or a woman?– and staring at the grotesque display on the kitchen table.
Nothing was taken– but the funny thing is, I almost wish ithadbeen a burglar who broke into the house last night. Because if they’d cleared off with all the valuables, they wouldn’t come back.
Butthis... this is far scarier.
Is it a message?
But who for?
Swallowing hard, I cross to the table and quickly place the dolls inside each other. Opening a drawer, I shove them away, out of sight. I still think we need to call the police, although Irene seemed oddly reluctant...
*****
It’s Sunday, so no school today, and after breakfast, Luke’s mum drops him off for the day.
I chat to Jen at the door for a while, and she asks about the cardboard covering the broken glass in the door. But rather than worrying her with what happened last night, I tell a bit of a fib, saying that the window cleaner had an accident with a ladder. I’d hate her to think Luke wasn’t safe here.
The boys run out to play football in the back garden, with strict instructions not to break any windows. And as I say it, I shiver, thinking of the irony of my throw-away comment. It’s not Bertie or Luke who’re breaking the windows around here...
Soon after eleven, I’m baking in the kitchen to try and feel calmer, when I hear a car pull onto the drive.
Lois and Rory.
I’m meeting Shaun for lunch at the Brambleberry Manor Café today, and Lois had assured me in last night’s text that she and Rory would be back to keep an eye on the boys while I was out. I was worried that with all the excitement– her first night out in ages, and possibly a ‘yes’ to her proposal– she might have forgotten her promise. But thankfully, she seems to have remembered.
Bertie and Luke have come in from the garden, and I leave them sitting at the table eating chocolate-covered flapjack while I nip through to check my reflection in the hall mirror. Dusting flour from my cheek, I practise a bright smile before scurrying back to the kitchen, hoping to give the illusion that Ihaven’tactually been watching out for their return.
I need to tell them about the break-in last night, but I don’t want to talk about it in front of Bertie and Luke.
My heart is beating fast as I hear Lois’s key in the lock, and I turn with a welcoming look, fully expecting them to make an announcement. ‘Hi! You’re just in time for chocolate flapjack. Can I make you some coffee?’
‘Ugh. No, thanks,’ mutters Lois, heading for the fridge and bringing out a packet of ham. ‘You know I can’t stand sweet stuff in the morning.’ She rolls up a slice and starts chewing, and my frantic heartbeat slows a little. If Lois is now a bride-to-be, she doesn’t look very happy about it...
Rory touches her shoulder. ‘I’ll have your flapjack as well, then. I canalwayseat sweet stuff, whatever the time.’ He smiles at me, and my heart does a little skip of joy.
With a grateful smile, I start arranging the biscuits on a plate, and Rory fills the kettle. Lois flops into a chair, wolfing down a cheese string and peeling the plastic from another.
‘Good night?’ I ask airily.
Rory nods. ‘Very good, thanks.’
‘It was fine,’ says Lois, pulling a magazine from her bag and leafing through it.
I check to see if it’s a bridal magazine. It’s not, but as soon as Rory disappears to fetch his phone from the car, I turn to Lois expectantly. ‘Well?’
‘Well what?’ She carries on page-flicking.
‘I thought you were going to– youknow.’ I glance at Bertie, but he’s busy showing Luke something on his phone. ‘So did you?’
‘I did,’ she says calmly, looking at me with an inscrutable expression.
‘And? Did he say yes?’ I whisper, glancing out of the window and watching Rory retrieve the phone from his car.
Lois gives a mysterious, Mona Lisa smile. ‘Wouldn’tyoulike to know.’
I grit my teeth and turn away.
