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Back A Place to Call Home Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. Epilogue
  58. Author’s Note
  59. Acknowledgments
  60. More from Fay Keenan
  61. About the Author
  62. About Boldwood Books

Suddenly awkwardly aware of their intensity, Holly shook her head and looked across to the door of the shop. ‘Well, I’d better lock up properly and barricade myself in upstairs with Arthur until one or other of us finds this mouse!’

Charlie took the hint. ‘Good luck with it. You’ll understand if I don’t offer to help.’

‘Sure,’ Holly laughed. ‘See you on Sunday.’

‘I look forward to it.’ Giving her another smile, during which Holly quite perceptibly felt her insides flutter, Charlie headed for the door. ‘See you soon.’

‘See you,’ Holly said, still rooted to the spot behind the counter. She watched him walk through the door and close it quietly behind him. Somewhere, buried deep within that man, was the teenager she’d met all those years ago. Holly was shocked at how much she wanted to find him again.

13

After another sound night’s sleep, albeit interspersed with the odd mouse-infested dream, Charlie woke to a full day of appointments at his constituency office. Tom was going to open up, as usual, and his new case worker, Helen Groves, was proving to be calm and efficient, and just what he needed as he was navigating the tricky waters of the issues of his constituents. Glancing at his diary as he grabbed a quick slice of toast and some coffee to take with him in his (not yet Instagrammed) travel mug, he was pleased to see he had a wide variety of people, and issues, to deal with that morning. Sooner or later, he knew he’d greet the information with a little more weariness, but for the moment he was pleased that so many people were seeking him out for help and advice. Working for his constituency was one of the main reasons he wanted this job, and so the more he could do while he was here, the better.

It was another lovely day in Willowbury as he walked down the path from his front door and onto the road that led to the High Street. He noticed that Fairbrothers was doing a roaring trade, as usual, and waved to Miles as he caught his eye through the bakery window. Jack, too, in his coffee shop, seemed to be trading briskly. The taxidermist on the corner of the High Street was polishing his front window, and Charlie found his gaze drawn to the sinister-looking stuffed crow on a tree branch that took pride of place. Every time he passed it, it seemed to have its beady eye on him, as if it was reminding him to behave himself. Years ago, when he was at school, he remembered the science department having a similar piece in its office, that some joker had made a miniature mortarboard for.